Federated Farmers hails rural banking report
Federated Farmers says the final report into banking competition is a significant step forward for rural New Zealand - and a vindication of the farming sector's concern.
DairyNZ's proposed M. bovis levy of up to 3.9c/kgMS is a lot higher than some were expecting, says Federated Farmers dairy chair Chris Lewis.
Dairy farmers are being asked to approve a levy of up to 3.9 cents/kgMS over the next two seasons to pay their share of the Mycoplasma bovis eradication effort.
Lewis said while farmers generally accept the need for eradication, the proposed levy was suprisingly high.
“When it came in at 3.9 it made me look again; it is a lot of money," said Lewis.
He said many dairy farmers are still unhappy about the 94:6 split between the dairy and beef sectors, as agreed to by DairyNZ and Beef + Lamb NZ.
“What is it paying for, what are we getting for that amount of money?”
Lewis encouraged farmers to go to the consultation meetings, ask questions and have their say.
Read more about the proposed levy and how you can have your say here.
Fertiliser co-operative Ballance has written down $88 million - the full value of its Kapuni urea plant in Taranaki - from its balance sheet in the face of a looming gas shortage.
The Government and horticulture sector have unveiled a new roadmap with an aim to double horticulture farmgate returns by 2035.
Canterbury farmers and the Police Association say they are frustrated by proposed cuts to rural policing in the region.
The strain and pressure of weeks of repairing their flood-damaged properties is starting to tell on farmers and orchardists in the Tasman district.
The sale price of Fonterra’s global consumer and associated businesses to the world’s largest dairy company Lactalis has risen to $4.22 billion.
Alliance Group's proposal to sell a 65% shareholding to Ireland's Dawn Meats won't solve the red meat industry's structural problems, says former Federated Farmers meat and wool chair Toby Williams.