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Federated Farmers president Andrew Hoggard says it will be good bye to all small businesses, schools, pubs and rugby clubs that are supported by the agriculture around them.
What happened to the historic partnership between industry and government? That's the question asked by Feds president Andrew Hoggard.
"Our plan was to keep farmers farming. Now they'll be selling up so fast you won't even hear the dogs barking on the back of the ute as they drive off.
"The Government's plan means the small towns, like Wairoa, Pahiatua, Taumaranui - pretty much the whole of the East Coast and central North Island and a good chunk of the top of the South - will be surrounded by pine trees quicker than you say 'ETS application'," he says.
Hoggard believes that it will be goodbye to all the small town cafes, car yards, schools, pubs, rugby clubs, hairdressers, and supermarkets that are supported by the agriculture around them.
The ACT Party says the rest of the world will be thanking Jacinda Ardern for destroying NZ's farming industry.
The party's primary industries spokeperson Mark Cameron says farmers are the victims of the Government's obsession with overseas plaudits.
"The Prime Minister wants to go on the world stage and say that NZ is the first country to price agricultural emissions. She won't admit that her government's proposal only leads to more emissions," he says.
Cameron says, under the proposals, most sheep and beef farmers would be better off cashing up by selling their land for permanent carbon storage. Many meat processors will shut down, collapsing many small regional towns.
National's agriculture spokesperson Barbara Kuriger says the announcement threatens the sector consensus by failing to recognise NZ farmers are already the most carbon efficient in the world.
She says the plan could have significant implications for our rural towns and communities. But National has a problem and Dairy News understands that many rural-based MPs want Natinal to take a stronger stance against the Government's latest proposal.
With ACT coming out so strongly, it's felt they could take traditional rural votes away from National.
A rare weather double-whammy has seen many South Island farmers having to deal with unseasonal snow while still cut off from power supplies after an unprecedented windstorm.
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OPINION: Recent media commentary from Southland Federated Farmers has raised concerns among our rural communities, particularly around Environment Southland’s approach to winter grazing inspections and nitrogen reporting. But let’s be clear, much of what’s been said simply doesn’t reflect reality.
OPINION: Environment Canterbury's (ECan) decision recently to declare a so-called “nitrate emergency” is laughable.
A shameless political stunt is how Federated Farmers is describing the Canterbury Regional Council decision to declare “a nitrate emergency” on the back of its latest annual groundwater quality survey.
As we move into the 2025/26 growing season, the Tractor and Machinery Association (TAMA) reports that the third quarter results for the year to date is showing that the stagnated tractor market of the last 18 months is showing signs of recovery.
DairyNZ chair Tracy Brown is urging dairy farmers to participate in the 2026 Levy vote, to be held early next year.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) is calling for nominations for director roles in the Eastern North Island and Southern South Island electoral districts.
Going one better than a frustratingly close second place finish at last year's event, the country's top axeman, Jack Jordan of Taumaranui, last weekend won the Stihl Timbersports World Championship individual event in.
Canterbury A&P Association (CAPA) show president Brent Chamberlain says a big development for this year is the Wool Zone, first introduced two years ago as a showplace for everything produced from wool, but now greatly enlarged with its own Wool Marquee and more than 30 trade sites.
Salmonellosis is a serious disease in cattle.
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