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Rural News last week summed up the disconnect going on in rural communities: “It seems incredible that in times when commodity prices are strong, interest rates low and climate favourable there should be so much angst and concern in rural NZ”
The angst has been expressed by farmers in protests around the country and in angry confrontations with ministers Damien O’Connor, David Parker and Shane Jones. The latter responded with smart-arse and dismissive comments like “get over it”.
As Rural News said, the angst is the current reality and “can be squarely sheeted home to policy changes being proposed by the Government”. Consultation with farmers on these changes has been at best token.
Some changes are certainly needed, but the politicians must use more carrot and less stick if they’re to take farmers with them.
OPINION: While the destruction of NZ's oil and gas industry by Jacinda Ardern's band of merry vandals was virtue signalling on a heroic scale - producing no environmental benefit whatsoever - the politician vowing to make that industry whole again, Shane Jones, is not above a bit of virtue signalling of his own.
OPINION: Shane 'Matua' Jones, crusader against all things woke, including "woke banks", couldn't have scripted it better when his NZ First colleague Andy Foster had his Members' Bill drawn from the ballot recently.
OPINION: In a victory for common sense over virtue signalling, David Parker's National Policy Statement (NPS) work on freshwater is now dead in the water.
OPINION: While The Hound reckons it's great to see Shane 'I'm-a-red-blooded-male' Jones boiling over about the energy crisis - so much so that he's dropping f-bombs in the daily rags - your old mate hopes we'll see more than his usual bluster and get real action on this critical issue.
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones delivered a speech this month at the inaugural Regional Growth Summit where he spoke about the Regional Infrastructure Fund, or RIF. Here's part of his speech...
Acclaimed fruit grower Dean Astill never imagined he would have achieved so much in the years since being named the first Young Horticulturist of the Year, 20 years ago.
The Ashburton-based Carrfields Group continues to show commitment to future growth and in the agricultural sector with its latest investment, the recently acquired 'Spring Farm' adjacent to State Highway 1, Winslow, just south of Ashburton.
New Zealand First leader and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has blasted Fonterra farmers shareholders for approving the sale of iconic brands to a French company.
A major feature of the Ashburton A&P Show, to be held on October 31 and November 1, will be the annual trans-Tasman Sheep Dog Trial test match, with the best heading dogs from both sides of the Tasman going head-to-head in two teams of four.
Fewer bobby calves are heading to the works this season, as more dairy farmers recognise the value of rearing calves for beef.
The key to a dairy system that generates high profit with a low emissions intensity is using low footprint feed, says Fonterra program manager on-farm excellence, Louise Cook.
OPINION: Microplastics are turning up just about everywhere in the global food supply, including in fish, cups of tea, and…
OPINION: At a time when dairy prices are at record highs, no one was expecting the world's second largest dairy…
