Cuddling cows
OPINION: Years of floods and low food prices have driven a dairy farm in England's northeast to stop milking its cows and instead charge visitors to cuddle them.
OPINION: Amazing how one bad poll can rattle a Government.
First, a 180 on cutting fuel excise, and now we hear that Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is ready to meet with Groundswell leaders, after twice declining the group's requests for a meeting.
With National leader Chris Luxon taking his party ahead of Labour in the latest 1 NEWS-Kantar poll, there has been some serious re-thinking on the ninth floor of the Beehive.
Groundswell organised protests around the country last year against, among other things, environmental regulations, the 'ute tax' and a seasonal worker shortage. At the time the Government spurned the movement with one of PM Ardern's senior ministers Stuart Nash accusing the group of being "racist and anti-vaxers".
Labour's agriculture spokesperson Jo Luxton says while New Zealand needs more housing, sacrificing our best farmland to get there is not the answer.
Profitability issues facing arable farmers are the same across the world, says New Zealand's special agricultural trade envoy Hamish Marr.
Over 85% of Fonterra farmer suppliers will be eligible for customer funding up to $1,500 for solutions designed to drive on-farm efficiency gains and reduce emissions intensity.
Tighter beef and lamb production globally have worked to the advantage of NZ, according to the Meat Industry Association (MIA).
Groundswell is ramping up its 'Quit Paris' campaign with signs going up all over the country.
Some farmers in the Nelson region are facing up to five years of hard work to repair their damaged properties caused by the recent devastating floods.