Dry weather classification expands to North Island
The dry weather in some parts of the North Island has received medium-scale adverse event classification from the Government.
Federated Farmers believes observations by the World Wildlife Fund for nature highlights how the environment needs everybody working together, town and country united.
"The work of the Land & Water Forum (LAWF) means all communities need to look at their environmental impacts," says Bruce Wills, Federated Farmers president.
"We know and accept farming has an environmental impact but it's misleading to highlight farming or one part of farming as the sole cause for everything bad about the environment.
"It's why we are committed to LAWF but we need all parts of the community to play their part too. While we accept our impacts, it is no secret many urban wastewater systems are desperately in need of an upgrade.
"And while there are 2.7 million additional dairy cattle, they come from a farm system undergoing transformation.
"The national sheep flock best highlights what I mean. In June 2011 there were 21 million fewer sheep than at the same time in 1992. It's a similar picture with beef cattle, the national herd having fallen 830,000 over the past 20 years.
"Despite all of this agriculture has lost more farmland to urban encroachment than we've gained.
"Work by Landcare Research found the number of less productive lifestyle blocks have gone from 100,000 to 175,000 over the past 13 years. The land area lost represents some 873,000 hectares or roughly half of all current dairy land in New Zealand.
"What also gets forgotten is the outstanding job New Zealand agriculture continues to do cutting greenhouse emissions in every unit of production.
"As the former Labour Cabinet Minster David Caygill discovered only last year, agriculture has for 20 years been cutting emissions by an average 1.3% each year.
"This is why it is wrong to lump all the blame onto farming and one part of the farm system.
"It's why we all need to embrace the Land & Water Forum process because farmers need good quality water too," Wills says.
The country’s 4200 commercial fruit and vegetable growers will vote from May 14 on a new HortNZ levy.
Meat processor Alliance Group is asking farmer shareholders to inject more capital in order to remain a 100% co-operative.
A vet is calling for all animals to be vaccinated against a new strain of leptospirosis (lepto) discovered on New Zealand dairy farms in recent years.
Dairy
Rural banker Rabobank is partnering with Food Rescue Kitchen on a new TV series which airs this weekend that aims to shine a light on the real and growing issues of food waste, food poverty and social isolation in New Zealand.
Telco infrastructure provider Chorus says that it believes all Kiwis – particularly those in the rural areas – need access to high-speed, reliable broadband.
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