Opinion

Life lessons learned

OPINION: I have been thinking quite a bit recently about something I could call Life Lessons Learned.

Editorial: United strategy for wool

OPINION: Wool farmers believe the future of strong wool still holds promise.

New target 'political theatre'

OPINION: Farmers are being asked to celebrate a target that changes nothing for the climate, wastes taxpayer money, and ignores real science.

OPINION: The Greens have taken the high moral ground on the Palestine issue and been leading political agitators in related protests – and that is to be expected, but the diplomatic efforts and wisdom of Winston Peters in this area should not be overlooked or ignored.

Cold comfort

One of the most galling aspects of the tariffs whacked on our farm exports to the US is the fact that, now more than ever, US farmers are being propped up by government welfare – a direct result of Trump’s hardline on its trading partners.

Biologicals - too good to be true?

OPINION: Biologicals are being promoted as a natural replacement for ‘chemicals’.

Editorial: Credit where it's due

OPINION: While farmers are busy and diligently doing their best to deal with unwanted gasses, the opponents of farming - namely the Greens and their mates - are busy polluting the atmosphere with tirades of hot air about what farmers supposedly aren't doing.

Methane emission target reset

OPINION: For close to eight years now, I have found myself talking about methane quite a lot.

Peasants' revolt

OPINION: Media luvvies at Stuff, the Spinoff and the Granny Herald are spending more time than ever navel-gazing about why the peasants outside of their cosy little bubble no longer trust them.

Why so slow?

OPINION: Why does it take Treasury so long to turn around its figures on how the economy is tracking?

Farewell Jim

In a few hundred words it's impossible to adequately describe the outstanding contribution that James Brendan Bolger made to New Zealand since he first entered politics in 1972.

Quid prod quo?

OPINION: Ageing lefty Chris Trotter reckons that the decision to delay recognition of Palestinian statehood is more than just a fit of pique by Foreign Minister Winston Peters.

Deadwood

OPINION: A mate of yours truly recently met someone at a BBQ who works at a big consulting firm who spent a good 20 minutes trying to explain his role at the firm.

The good old days of 'handshake deals'

OPINION: Catch phrases or statements often have a way of sticking with you. Here’s one I heard many years back: “Change is the only constant in life.”

Editorial: A new era for two co-ops

OPINION: Farmer shareholders of two of New Zealand's largest co-operatives have an important decision to make this month and what they decide could change the landscape of the dairy and meat sectors in New Zealand.

ECan circus

OPINION: The Hound wonders, is there some variety of idiot juice in the water in Canterbury? It seems so.

Political stunts

OPINION: Is the ECan regional council run by earnest, handwringing Greta Thunberg wannabes these days?

Rural professionals helping farmers, growers as digital connection grows

OPINION: The potential for technology to transform the way farms operate and perform in New Zealand and globally is immense and the agritech revolution is well underway.

Should Fonterra sell its consumer arm?

OPINION: As CEO of the Dairy Board in the 1980s I was fortunate to work with a team of experienced and capable executives who made most of the brand investments that created the international consumer business Fonterra inherited.

Zero, not hero

OPINION: If the comments about the deceased Tom Phillips posted on social media by keyboard warriors were representative of parenting standards in NZ, your old mate would be worried about our collective future.

Gut feeling or common sense

OPINION: Land use change is to the fore (again) because of headlines indicating the potential for growing rice, expansion of dairying in some regions, and ongoing concerns about carbon farming.

Costs too high?

OPINION: This old mutt is loath to sound like Groundswell has been topping up his bowl with brisket off-cuts, but the ginger group makes a good point about the arguments raised in favour of toeing the Paris Agreement line.

Paris Agreement - in or out?

OPINION: Defenders of New Zealand remaining bound to the Paris Agreement typically run the same argument. They do not explain the benefits of remaining bound to Paris, because there are none. At least none that are certain and enduring.

Editorial: New Treeland?

OPINION: Forestry is not all bad and planting pine trees on land that is prone to erosion or in soils which cannot support livestock farming makes sense.