Editorial: Sensible move
OPINION: The Government's decision to rule out changes to Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) that would cost every farmer thousands of dollars annually, is sensible.
Tributes have flowed in from around the country for mid-Canterbury farming leader Chris Allen who died in a tragic accident on his farm near Ashburton.
Allen served on the board of Federated Farmers for more than eight years and took on the challenging portfolio of water and biodiversity.
Feds national president Wayne Langford says there were a few tears in the organisation's national office when the news came through.
"I have been flooded with messages from right across the country from people who Chris has worked with or had been a part of their lives," he says.
Langford says Allen will be remembered for his collaborative nature, his ability to get on with people from all walks of life and to come up with workable solutions - not only for farmers but also the environment as well.
"He had a quote which I will always remember and one that really defines him. It was 'Things need to be sensible, practical and affordable'. This is a quote that can be applied across a lot of issues," he says.
Allen and his wife Ann-Maree farmed an irrigated sheep and beef property near Mt Somers. Neighbour and Feds mid-Canterbury president, David Acland says people are just gutted and shaken at his sudden death.
"He had incredible mana and was widely respected by politicians of all political parties. He was a person who could work across groups and parties and find a way forward," he says.
Managing director of Woolover Ltd, David Brown, has put a lot of effort into verifying what seems intuitive, that keeping newborn stock's core temperature stable pays dividends by helping them realise their full genetic potential.
Within the next 10 years, New Zealand agriculture will need to manage its largest-ever intergenerational transfer of wealth, conservatively valued at $150 billion in farming assets.
Boutique Waikato cheese producer Meyer Cheese is investing in a new $3.5 million facility, designed to boost capacity and enhance the company's sustainability credentials.
OPINION: The Government's decision to rule out changes to Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) that would cost every farmer thousands of dollars annually, is sensible.
Compensation assistance for farmers impacted by Mycoplama bovis is being wound up.
Selecting the reverse gear quicker than a lovestruck boyfriend who has met the in-laws for the first time, the Coalition Government has confirmed that the proposal to amend Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) charged against farm utes has been canned.
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