Election 2026: Rural Lobby Groups Challenge Parties on Agriculture Policy
Three farmer lobby groups are applying the blowtorch to political parties on key issues facing the primary sector ahead of the general elections.
OPINION: Meanwhile, speaking of Groundswell, this old mutt understands that the leaders of the rural lobby group and fringe political party Democracy NZ recently met up in a café in Gore for a clandestine catch up.
This was all before the major meltdown in the Democracy NZ political movement last month, where five of its 10 selected candidates resigned en mass.
This included Waikato candidate Steven Cranston, who was the former ag emissions spokesman for Groundswell - before he jumped on the Democracy NZ crazy wagon.
Your old mate suggests that Groundswell should steer clear of having such a close association with a fringe political outfit like Democracy NZ or they are in danger of being labelled as associating political crazies and burning off much of the goodwill it has built up in rural NZ.
The Government has announced changes to stock exclusion regulations which it claims will cut unnecessary costs and inflexible rules while maintaining environmental protections.
Technology and the use of artificial intelligence are increasingly part of life, both on the farm and off it.
Ashleigh Gordon and Leilani Lobb have been named as the two finalists for Dairy Women's Network's (DWN) 2026 Regional Leader of the Year Award.
Animal and Plant Health New Zealand (APHANZ) says the approval of a new fungicide seed treatment is a positive, however growers will be hoping the final approval is completed ahead of the spring season.
North Canterbury farmer Adam Williamson has been appointed DairyNZ's associate director for 2026-27.
Fonterra farmers are set for a multi-billion-dollar payout this week.