Simon Upton urges cross-party consensus on New Zealand environmental goals
Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Simon Upton is calling for cross-party consensus on the country's overarching environmental goals.
50 Shades of Green says it is not anti trees, but believes the right trees should be in the right places.
The protest group ‘50 Shades of Green’ is organising a march on Parliament this week to try and stop good farmland being covered in pine trees.
Asked why we they are marching, organisers say the answer is simple.
“Farmers love the land. Many farms have been nurtured for generations to feed not only New Zealand but 40 million people internationally as well.
“We’re now seeing that land gone forever, often to overseas based aristocrats and carbon investors.”
The organisers say 50 Shades of Green is not anti trees, acknowledging the amenity and economic value of trees, but they believe it is about the right tree in the right place.
“What is happening now is that good farmland, sold offshore, is being blanket planted in pine trees. That means it is forever lost to New Zealand.”
“Large tracts of good farmland are being planted in trees. You can’t eat wood.”
Details:
March for the Future of Provincial New Zealand
Meet Civic Square Wellington, 11am Thursday 14th of November
Walk to Parliament arrive 1pm
Dress Rural Green to support the march
https://www.50shadesofgreen.co.nz/save-our-farms-protest-walk/
For those that can't make it. Dress rural green on the 14th, take a pic, upload to social and tag 50 Shades of Green: https://www.facebook.com/50shadesofgreen.nz
Virtual fencing and herding systems supplier, Halter is welcoming a decision by the Victorian Government to allow farmers in the state to use the technology.
DairyNZ’s latest Econ Tracker update shows most farms will still finish the season in a positive position, although the gap has narrowed compared with early season expectations.
New Zealand’s national lamb crop for the 2025–26 season is estimated at 19.66 million head, a lift of one percent (or 188,000 more lambs) on last season, according to Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s (B+LNZ) latest Lamb Crop report.
Farmers appear to be cautiously welcoming the Government’s plan to reform local government, according to Ag First chief executive, James Allen.
The Fonterra divestment capital return should provide “a tailwind to GDP growth” next year, according to a new ANZ NZ report, but it’s not “manna from heaven” for the economy.
Fonterra's Eltham site in Taranaki is stepping up its global impact with an upgrade to its processed cheese production lines, boosting capacity to meet growing international demand.

OPINION: Your old mate welcomes the proposed changes to local government but notes it drew responses that ranged from the reasonable…
OPINION: A press release from the oxygen thieves running the hot air symposium on climate change, known as COP30, grabbed your…