‘Red letter day’ for ag sector
Farmers are welcoming the announcement of two new bills to replace the under-fire Resource Management Act.
OPINION: You canine crusader wants to tip his hat to Fed Farmers for busting the Government’s dodgy tactics in trying to buy support to rush through its controversial RMA reforms.
Feds RMA spokesperson Mark Hooper recently blew the whistle on attempts by the Ministry for the Environment to fund ‘NGO participation in resource management and freshwater reform processes’ to the tune of up to $600,000 each.
Hooper says Feds were approached to participate in the scheme to help rush through the reforms just four weeks before the election but turned it down.
“This doesn’t pass the sniff test for us at this stage of the political cycle,” Hooper explained.
It begs the question of the ethics of the Government forking out hundreds of thousands of dollars, on the eve of the election, to select lobby groups to engage with its proposed policy changes.
The National Wild Goat Hunting Competition has removed 33,418 wild goats over the past three years.
New Zealand needs a new healthcare model to address rising rates of obesity in rural communities, with the current system leaving many patients unable to access effective treatment or long-term support, warn GPs.
Southland farmers are being urged to put safety first, following a spike in tip offs about risky handling of wind-damaged trees
Third-generation Ashburton dairy farmers TJ and Mark Stewart are no strangers to adapting and evolving.
When American retail giant Cosco came to audit Open Country Dairy’s new butter plant at the Waharoa site and give the green light to supply their American stores, they allowed themselves a week for the exercise.
Fonterra chair Peter McBride says the divestment of Mainland Group is their last significant asset sale and signals the end of structural changes.

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