ACT MPs Slam Green Party's Fertiliser Ban Policy
Retiring MP and dairy farmer Mark Cameron is blasting the Green Party for proposing to ban the use of synthetic fertiliser and cutting cow numbers.
Katie Milne, former Federated Farmers president, has been announced as the National Party’s candidate for the West Coast-Tasman electorate.
The seat is currently held by Maureen Pugh, who defeated former Agriculture Minister and current Labour Party regional development, trade, and defence spokesperson Damien O’Connor in the 2023 election.
Pugh is set to retire from Parliament at this year's election.
Milne is a fifth generation farmer from the West Coast and was vice president of the World Farmers Organisation and a director for Predator Free 2050.
In 2015, Milne was named Fonterra Dairy Women of the Year. That same year, she also won the New Zealand Women of Influence Rural Award.
She says she is “honoured” to be selected as a candidate.
“That hard work starts now to re-elect a National Government that is fixing the basics and building the future,” she says.
“In an uncertain world, responsible economic management matters now more than ever,” Milne says.
She says National has saved taxpayers $43 billion to date by cutting down on “wasteful spending”.
“As a lifelong advocate for farmers, I can see firsthand how National backs our primary sector,” Milne says.
“The National-led Government has reduced red tape to get farmers back to farming, signed new trade deals which has helped increase trade by $17 billion, and introduced investment boost to encourage businesses to invest, expand, and hire more Kiwis.”
“As a fifth- generation coaster, I know that our region can be more productive, with more jobs and higher wages. That is why I will be campaigning hard to re-elect a National Government and to earn the right to be West Coast-Tasman’s next National MP. ”
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson says his party – NZ First - isn’t opposed to the “trade element” of a free trade deal with India.
The managing director of a company seeking to build a solar farm in Canterbury says receiving fast-track approval is a “really positive outcome”.
Retiring MP and dairy farmer Mark Cameron is blasting the Green Party for proposing to ban the use of synthetic fertiliser and cutting cow numbers.
A huge reduction in ACC claims from on-farm accidents over the last five years is due to thousands of small, practical decisions being made in sheds, yards, paddocks and around kitchen tables across the country, says Safer Farms ambassador Lindy Nelson.
Wayne and Ange Moxham of Horowhenua have just been named as Fonterra's top organic performer for milksolids. As well as providing organic milk to Fonterra, the couple also sell Udderly Organic milk to more than 100 outlets in the region and are embarking on another exciting venture producing organic gelato. Reporter Peter Burke went along to see their farming operation.
Certainty and a clear understanding of the needs of rural communities is a critical outcome in the series of government reforms that are taking place at present.

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