Strange bedfellows
OPINION: Two types of grifters have used the sale of Fonterra's consumer brands as a platform to push their own agendas - under the guise of 'caring about the country'.
This old mutt has been a long-time critic of the multi-national, tax-dodging, political activist group Greenpeace for its sustained and never-ending attacks on the New Zealand farming sector.
So, your old mate was not surprised to see the group’s latest anti-farming campaign, this time calling for a ban on the use of nitrogen fertilisers.
Greenpeace is nothing if not consistent in its hatred of farming, having spent the last few years blaming the agricultural sector for polluting the country’s waterways and rivers, campaigning against irrigation and criticising agriculture’s greenhouse gas emissions. However, what the Dutch-headquartered organisation (estimated annual budget at least $420 million) seem totally oblivious to is the old truism: ‘It’s hard to be green when you are in the red’.
According to the latest Federated Farmers banking survey, farmers are more satisfied with their bank and less under pressure, however, the sector is well short of confidence levels seen last decade.
Farmer confidence has taken a slight dip according to the final Rabobank rural confidence survey for the year.
Former Agriculture Minister and Otaki farmer Nathan Guy has been appointed New Zealand’s Special Agricultural Trade Envoy (SATE).
Alliance Group has commissioned a new heat pump system at its Mataura processing plant in Southland.
Fonterra has slashed another 50c off its milk price forecast as global milk flows shows no sign of easing.
Meat processors are hopeful that the additional 15% tariff on lamb exports to the US will also come off.

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