Calves yield cash for rural communities
Meat processor Affco is urging farmers to sign up again for its Cash for Calves scheme that last year put $90,000 into rural communities.
New Zealand's agriculture sector and associated rural communities will be hit hard if Affco management and the unions don't sort out their differences soon, Labour's Primary Production spokesperson Damien O'Conner says.
Referring to the 1700 meat workers who are off the job due to lock-outs and strike action at eight Affco meat processing sites around the North Island, O'Connor says the two sides needed to get back around the table as soon as possible.
"We all acknowledge that the country needs an efficient industry. However, having workers locked out is not in the best interests of the farming community, especially at a time when the sector is having a productive season.
"Whatever the ins and outs of the dispute, locking out workers rather than engaging in good faith mediation, is not the way to build solid relationships with either the community or the workers.
"Many of the sites involved are in provincial towns which rely on the workers and their families to survive. If people aren't being paid, no one is spending and the whole community suffers.
"The issue needs to be settled for the sake of both local and national economies," Damien O'Connor says.
Animal rights organization, SAFE says the government needs to maintain the ban on live exports.
New findings from not-for-profit food supply and distribution organization, the New Zealand Food Network (NZFN) have revealed a 42% increase in demand for food support in 2023 compared to 2022.
New data released by LIC and DairyNZ shows New Zealand dairy farmers have achieved the highest six week in-calf rate and lowest notin- calf rate on record.
Christchurch City Council and the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association (CAPA) have signed an agreement which will open more of Canterbury Agricultural Park for public use while helping to provide long-term certainty for the A&P Show.
This year’s Fieldays will feature a Rural Advocacy Hub - bringing together various rural organisations who are advocating for farmers and championing their interests as one team, under one roof, for the first time.
ASB head of rural banking Aidan Gent is encouraging farmers to speak to their banks when they are struggling.
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