Editorial: Resource consent saga
OPINION: The Government needs to act now to address consenting issues faced by farmers throughout the country.
Government policy settings are presently farmers’ biggest worry, says Federated Farmers president Katie Milne.
She told Rural News at the Feds recent conference in Wellington that farmers are concerned at the possible effects on their farms of the Zero Carbon Bill and water policies.
They are worried about not knowing what they have to do and about how policies will impact on them, Milne said.
“We also don’t think the regulatory impacts and cost benefit analyses have been properly done on a lot of these things, in particular the flow on effects they will have.”
Milne sees the farming sector as flat at present despite commodity prices being pretty good. A key objective of the Feds conference was to try to help the public and decisionmakers to better understand farming.
Feds joined forces this year with a commercial conference organiser which staged the event at Te Papa Museum, Wellington.
Their aim was to do something different and bring primary industries into Wellington to give attendees closer connections and enable collaboration and connections between politicians, academics, officials and agribusiness people.
“It’s gone really well. Very good feedback from everybody shows this format has worked,” Milne said.
OPINION: As negotiations advance on the India-New Zealand FTA, it’s important to remember the joint commitment made by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon at the beginning of this process in March: for a balanced, ambitious, comprehensive, and mutually beneficial agreement.
Minister for Universities, Shane Reti, has opened the final new build in a ten plus year project to upgrade the veterinary facilities at Massey University.
As New Zealand experiences more frequent and severe flooding events, the Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman Scheme (IFSO Scheme) is urging consumers to be honest and accurate when making insurance claims for flood damage.
A recently held arable field day in the Manawatu brought with it a timely reminder to be on the lookout for velvetleaf incursions.
In a significant shift for employers, wage theft is no longer only a civil matter but now also a criminal one.
In partnership with Growing Future Farmers (GFF), Fonterra says it is increasing support for young people entering the dairy industry with a new two-year programme.

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