Tuesday, 08 October 2024 14:55

Lost the room?

Written by The Hound

font size decrease font size increase font size
Print
Email

OPINION: Beef+Lamb NZ has run a roadshow to sell its new strategy.

Thirty meetings, which a total of just 400 farmers attended – barely a baker’s dozen per meeting.

Given that there are some 23,400 sheep & beef farms in NZ (BLNZ Farm Facts 2021) the low turnout suggests a huge wave of apathy afflicting B+LNZ’s funders.

The roadshow followed the 2024 AGM which featured a poorly-timed attempt to hike directors’ fees and one of the worst-ever voter turnouts at just 12%.

At the time, chair Kate Acland blamed farmers’ busy schedules, ‘divisive’ social media and climate change remits for the low turnout.

What’s the excuse this time?

On top of the cost of the roadshow, B+LNZ spent a fortune promoting it.

The Hound humbly suggests the ‘no show’ suggests they’d already lost the room.

More like this

Select committee 'blew it' - Feds

Sheep and beef farmers are urging the Government to do more to stop productive farmland overrun by pine trees.

Signs of recovery in stock numbers - B+LNZ

According to the latest Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) Stock Number Survey, sheep numbers have fallen by 1% while beef cattle numbers rose by 4.4%.

B+LNZ warns proposed ETS changes still allow productive farmland to become carbon farms

Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) says proposed changes to the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) will leave the door wide open for continued conversions of productive sheep and beef farms into carbon forestry.

Wrong focus

OPINION: Your old mate reckons townie Brooke van Velden, the Minister of Workplace (or is it Woke Place) Relations is now showing how underemployed she is as a minister by initiating an investigation into whether young children should be banned from collecting eggs on farms and feeding animals.

Burn the village

OPINION: There's an infamous term coined by a US general during the Vietnam war, specifically in reference to the battle of Ben Tre: "We had to burn the village to save it."

Featured

AgriSIMA 2026 Paris machinery show cancelled

With the current situation in the European farm machinery market being described as difficult at best, it’s perhaps no surprise that the upcoming AgriSIMA 2026 agricultural machinery exhibition, scheduled for February 2026 at Paris-Nord Villepinte, has been cancelled.

MIA showcases refreshed Taste Pure Nature brand with Shanghai pop-up experience

The Meat Industry Association of New Zealand (MIA) has launched the first in-market activation of the refreshed Taste Pure Nature country-of-origin brand with an exclusive pop-up restaurant experience in Shanghai.

Cricket memorabilia up for auction for youth mental health

Jayna Wadsworth, daughter of the late New Zealand wicketkeeper Ken Wadsworth, has launched an auction of cricket memorabilia to raise funds for I Am Hope's youth mental health work.

NZ tractor sales show signs of recovery – TAMA

As we move into the 2025/26 growing season, the Tractor and Machinery Association (TAMA) reports that the third quarter results for the year to date is showing that the stagnated tractor market of the last 18 months is showing signs of recovery.

Dairy farmers urged to participate in 2026 Levy vote

DairyNZ chair Tracy Brown is urging dairy farmers to participate in the 2026 Levy vote, to be held early next year.

B+LNZ calls for director nominations for 2026 annual meeting

Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) is calling for nominations for director roles in the Eastern North Island and Southern South Island electoral districts.