Methane emission target reset
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Do kiwis know what's happening in dairying?
A dairy farmer and Federated Farmers Dairy chair, Andrew Hoggard says he is fed up with the negative focus on dairying, reacting to Kiwis' complaints about the sector spoiling the environment.
The recent report by the parliamentary commissioner for the environment again harps about dairying being the main contributor to poor water quality.
But Hoggard says in the catchments with problems there is a lot more than dairy farming going on.
"Dairy farmers have done a lot of good stuff and we are trying to do more. While dairy is part of the problem, we will keep on working on alleviating that. At times it's made out to be the only part of the problem and it is bloody annoying to me as a dairy farmer to hear that."
Urban and industrial areas also need to feel some 'heat', Hoggard says.
It bothers him how little some people know about the farming sector, for example, he gets emails asking why he supports that "foreign company" Fonterra.
"I would hate to see what the survey results would show if you were to ask Joe Public in Wellington or Auckland who owns Fonterra. I still hear people saying Fonterra is stealing all the profits and ripping off farmers."
He hears stories about people who think Fonterra sells its milk powder cheaply overseas; they don't understand that some of this is high value ingredients. Fonterra could be doing more, he says, but on balance they do a great job.
Some people's perceptions of the dairy industry border on bizarre.
"I remember a survey of water quality on the Manawatu River and one answer amazed me. Someone thought all the farmers were taking all their cows to the Manawatu river to wash them, hence the pollution. Do they think I have nothing better to do in my day than to wander my entire herd down to the Manawatu River for a scrub and soak?" he asks.
And some comments by government and local government officials also make him scratch his head in disbelief.
Following recent storms in the region, the 69th edition of the Tour of Southland cycling event has been postponed.
A function at Parliament on 7th October brought together central government decision-makers, MPs, industry stakeholders and commercial partners to highlight the need for strategic investment in the future of Fieldays and its home, the Mystery Creek Events Centre campus.
The Government's revised 2050 biogenic methane target range of 14-24% by 2050 is being welcomed by dairy farmers.
An increasing number of students are doing agricultural and horticultural degrees at Massey University by distance learning.
ANZ New Zealand is encouraging farmers and businesses impacted by the recent extreme weather that hit Southland and South Otago last week to seek support if they need it.
When Professor Pierre Venter takes up his new role as vice chancellor at Massey University next February it will just be a matter of taking a few steps across the road to get to his new office at the Palmerston North Campus.
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