M.I.A.
OPINION: The previous government spent too much during the Covid-19 pandemic, despite warnings from officials, according to a briefing released by the Treasury.
OPINION: Make no mistake, COVID-19 will change things: some things for a month or two, some for a year or two, and some permanently.
No one knows what the new normal will look like.
But it’s likely that dairy farming in New Zealand and food production generally will fare better than most industries and will come out of this stronger.
Last week one industry leader Mark Townshend laid out what he thinks is in store for NZ dairy industry after COVID-19 evaporates.
From a pathway to reduce production, the dairy sector can use post-COVID-19 to look at boosting milk production again.
The greenies and environmentalists will be out there, blaming farmers and their cows for all greenhouse gas emissions.
The pressure to reduce water quality in lakes and rivers will also remain on farmers.
Townshend believes provided water quality safeguards are respected, increasing NZ food production will be both financially beneficial for NZ and globally beneficial for climate change.
Post-COVID-19 should also slow down, if not stop, urban drift.
Urban drift is a worldwide problem for rural communities. Globally there are rural challenges everywhere in the world if a greater percentage of the more talented young people drift to urban centres and more of the less motivated and educated stay in rural populations.
The resetting of economic realities under COVID-19 and people changing their views on what is important in life offers rural NZ an excellent opportunity to market itself as a great place to live, raise families and teach their young good values and work ethic.
Attracting more human talent to rural areas offers the opportunity to improve the leadership in our local authorities, education centres, health centres and social services like sports clubs, churches and arts.
The importance of rural NZ reinstated by COVID-19 experience should also boost farm labour talent pool.
Post-COVID-19 farming should expect to see increased interest from a new pool of people looking to enter farming as a career. Townshend says his farming group has had approaches from airline pilots and sports coordinators about career opportunities in the weeks since lockdown.
With planes grounded and tourism on its knees, New Zealanders will be looking for dairying and agriculture to keep foreign earnings coming in.
Food production and the value it creates for the NZ economy will not be just important, but very important.
Like many manufacturers around the world, European agricultural machinery and tractor manufacturers are currently operating in a difficult market environment. But they are heading to the world’s largest agricultural machinery event in Hanover next month with a degree of cautious optimism.
Established in 2021, the John Deere Technician of the Year Awards champion the important contribution parts and service technicians make to the Australian and New Zealand agriculture, construction and forestry industries.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) is calling on farmers from all regions to take part in the final season of the Sheep Poo Study aiming to build a clearer picture of how facial eczema (FE) affects farms across New Zealand.
New Zealand is closer to eradicating bovine TB than ever before, but possums remain a threat, says Beef + Lamb New Zealand.
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has joined the debate around the proposed sale of Fonterra’s consumer and related businesses, demanding answers from the co-operative around its milk supply deal with the buyer, Lactalis.
The ACT Party says media reports that global dairy giant Nestle has withdrawn from the Dairy Methane Action Alliance shows why New Zealand needs to rethink its approach to climate.
OPINION: Dairy industry players are also falling by the wayside as the economic downturn bites around the country.
OPINION: Methane Science Accord, a farmer-led organisation advocating for zero tax on ruminant methane, will be quietly celebrating its first…