A mate of yours truly reckons one only needs to look at the gongs given out in the New Year Honours list to garner exactly what the current Government thinks of the farming sector.
This old mutt was not surprised to see a number of supposed ag industry ‘thought leaders’ (a pompous title if there was ever one) fully supportive of the embarrassing, woke joke that is the Primary Sector Council’s recently released ‘vision’ for the sector.
Your old mate is delighted to learn that he – and all other hardworking taxpayers – are now subsidising the country’s tree-hugging, lefty-loving, public servants to purchase new electric bikes.
Your canine crusader reckons it is ironic – and highly appropriate – that Shane Jones’ $3 billion electoral slush fund the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) has exactly the same initials as the Problem Gambling Foundation (PGF)!
Like this old mutt, no doubt farmer shareholders are delighted to know that Fonterra is focusing on the important issues.
Over the years, a mate of the Hound’s has always been quick to point out to him people in roles whose names either match or clash with the organisations they work for.
Your old mate notes that after almost two years of cosy meetings and more than $2 million wasted, Ag minister Damien O’Connor’s brainfart, the Primary Sector Council, released its ‘strategy’ on the eve of Christmas, last year.
A mate of this old mutt reports being somewhat surprised to see Southland farmer and chair of Beef + Lamb NZ Andrew Morrison gracing the streets of the plush North Shore suburb of Takapuna in Auckland, last month.
Your old mate notes that a recent bid to buy more than 4500ha of South Island farmland by a Canadian outfit was rejected by the Overseas Investment Office.
Speaking of useless, pointless and waste-of-space working groups... the Hound wonders what really was the point of Damien O’Connor’s $500,000-a-year brain fart – the Primary Sector Council (PSC)?
Your old mate hears it can be a tough gig for MPs getting back into the real world after retiring (or being voted out of) from Parliament.
The Hound notes that one of the country’s poorest financially performing state-owned enterprises – the Government farming entity Landcorp (or as it calls itself in a typically virtual signalling way) Pāmu – still loves to spend big on promoting itself.
Your old mate hears that the antics of the Government – especially the NZ First component – are fuelling motivation out in rural NZ for a fledgling new political party aimed at ensuring the return of the blue team at next year’s general election.
Your canine crusader has long identified Shane Jones as, without doubt, the biggest buffoon in Parliament.
A mate of the Hound recently attended an open day at the Spring Sheep Milk operation, held at Matangi in Waikato. At least 300 visitors showed up -- so lots of interest.
OPINION: Your old mate can’t believe the gall of the NZ big banks crying about their ‘reduced’ profitability this year.
OPINION: The Hound notes that the foreign-owned and controlled NZ forestry industry is starting to feel the pressure of the growing anti-tree sentiment springing up all around the country.
OPINION: This old mutt was interested to read a recent New York Times expose of the European Union’s agriculture subsidy programme.
OPINION: A mate of the Hound was invited to a lockup at Parliament on last month’s climate change agreement with the ag sector.
A mate of the Hound reckons outgoing special agricultural trade envoy Mike Petersen, who is due to finish his current role at the end of the year, is currying favour – and job prospects – with the Government by backing its moves to lump agriculture into the ETS.
With the Government wanting to implement huge costs on the livestock farming sector by making New Zealand the only country to include farming in an ETS, this old mutt thought it might actually get serious about funding mitigation research.
It appears many dairy company competitors of Fonterra are worried that some of the proposed changes to the DIRA regulations will give the country’s largest dairy co-op an unfair advantage over them.
Your old mate understands the country’s second largest dairy company, Open Country Dairy (OCD), has just had a ‘stink’ month. During October OCD copped a record fine of more than $221,000 for a “vomitus stench being emitted from its Waharoa factory”.
OPINION: As pointed out in this column a while back, a new special agricultural trade envoy (SATE) has now been appointed to replace Mike Petersen and take over the role at the start of next year.
» The RNG Weather Report
» Latest Print Issues Online
The Hound
Says it all!
A mate of yours truly reckons one only needs to look at the gongs given out in the New Year…
Easily bought
This old mutt was not surprised to see a number of supposed ag industry ‘thought leaders’ (a pompous title if…