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OPINION: Your canine crusader understands that while things might be looking rosy for meat sector returns at the moment, a chronic lack of workers means processors and exporters are missing out on even potentially bigger dividends.
The wheeze around the industry is that a great deal of added value is currently being lost mainly due to the Government's short-sighted immigration settings leaving meat processors across the country short-staffed and unable to process more refined cuts, which would earn them and farmers even more returns.
This crisis has been somewhat masked with NZ's red meat sector achieving record volumes of sales.
According to an analysis by the Meat Industry Association, $1.1 billion of NZ red meat was exported during July - a 26% increase on July 2021.
China remained the standout market with red meat exports worth $460 million, up 42% on last July.
OPINION: The same mainstream media muppets that brought you Jacindamania in 2017 have been flat out pimping for the Opportunities Party, labelled by some as the 'LinkedIn Greens' for their corporate spin on Green-esque 'tax the rich' policies.
OPINION: Your old mate reckons the atrocious way farmers in the UK are treated by their lords and masters in Westminster is a salient warning for us.
OPINION: Proponents of regenerative agriculture tend to be naturally aligned with a 'green mindset', so they will be nonplussed with their new mates in the US of A.
OPINION: Mike Chapman, former chief executive of levy-funded HortNZ, has thrown out a challenge to farmers and growers to put their levy-funded industry organisations under the same scrutiny as fertiliser, electricity, labour and freight.
A fair question has been raised about how member-funded organisations should conduct themselves when taking a public position on any given issue.
OPINION: As the general election approaches, political parties are churning out policies in the hope of attracting more votes.
An LIC bull, Tronnoco AR Sadio-ET S3F, bred by Tony and Keri O'Connor of Tronnoco Farming Co Ltd near Timaru, has won the 2026 Mahoe Trophy.
With forecasters advising El Niño conditions will develop through winter and strengthen into spring and summer, Ballance Agri-Nutrients is encouraging farmers and growers to think ahead about nutrient planning and be prepared to work around challenging weather conditions.
In the past, much has been made of the concept of farm to fork, but an Australian expert in food science and marketing with experience in the dairy industry, Dr Angeline Achariya, says the reverse of this slogan is critical to win modern day consumers.
Efficiency is the big one because it tracks back into what is done on farm.
A four year trial has reaffirmed that mixing plantain into dairy pastures can help reduce nitrogen losses to freshwater while maintaining milk production and profitability, say researchers.
