Faking it
OPINION: Demand for red meat is booming, while it seems the heyday of plant-based protein is well past its 'best before' date.
OPINION: Why do vegans and others opposed to eating meat try to convince others that a plant based diet is the best, when they themselves actively seek out veg-based products that taste like meat?
Things like ‘Not Bacon’, ‘Not Sausages’ etc - the list is long - are designed to mimic the flavour of meat and are popular with those who actively criticise meat eaters.
Yet the ‘not meat’ products they buy are a poor substitute for the real thing, judging by the failures of a number of manufacturers of this goop.
Clearly, some vegans claim to hate meat, yet in their hearts, they really long for a juicy T-bone steak. Or perhaps bacon. They say the smell of bacon is the ‘gateway drug’ – good enough to turn a half-hearted vegetarian back from the dark side!
According to Zespri's November forecast for the 2025/26 season, returns are likely to be up for all fruit groups compared to the last forecast in August.
Next month, wool training will reach one of New Zealand's most remote communities, the Chatham Islands - bringing hands-on skills and industry connection to locals eager to step into the wool harvesting sector.
Farmers' health and wellbeing will take centre stage with a new hub at the 2026 East Coast Farming Expo.
Dannevirke farmer Dan Billing has been announced as the new national chair of Beef + Lamb New Zealand's (B+LNZ) Farmer Council.
A Mid Canterbury beef farm has unlocked a new market for its products thanks to its unusual beef breed, and an award-winning pie taking the district by storm.
The number of beef straws going into dairy cows is on the increase, according to LIC beef genetics product lead Paul Charteris.

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