Thursday, 19 October 2023 14:55

U-turn

Written by Milking It

font size decrease font size increase font size
Print
Email

OPINION: The French Government is buckling under the pressure of rising inflation.

Media reports suggest France is urging its farmers to produce more cut-price meat in a major U-turn on factory farming, with inflation hammering demand for organic pork, beef and chicken.

The agriculture minister, Marc Fesneau, told a big agro-industry gathering on Tuesday that “we have to admit that we must work on the entry level” end of the market.

“Animal welfare issues only work if we find someone to pay” for high-quality meat, he insisted.

The comments seem to signal a major shift in government thinking after Emmanuel Macron shook France’s powerful intensive farming lobby, soon after coming to power in 2017, by saying it was time to “stop production, whether of poultry or pork, which no longer corresponds to our tastes or needs”.

Only “30% of French people now have the means to pay more for quality”, compared with half the population six years ago, according to one analyst.

More like this

'Bee wear' Simeon

OPINION: A keen pair of eyes wandering down the main street of the hub of the Horowhenua, Levin recently came across a 'pop up shop' designed to show locals the new toll road bypass from Otaki and past Levin.

ODH ordeal over

OPINION: The demise of Organic Dairy Hub is official.

Follow the leaders

OPINION: Farmers are urging Kiwi banks and their overseas parent companies to follow the lead of America's six biggest banks and urgently withdraw from the Net Zero Banking Alliance.

Bouquet for bank

OPINION: Groundswell has given ANZ a shout-out for, so far, being the only one of the big four Aussie-owned banks not to set emissions reduction targets for its dairy sector loan book.

Milking fish

OPINION: It could be cod on your cornflakes and sardines in your smoothie if food innovators in Indonesia have their way.

Featured

Forum to discuss Angus genetics and beef production

The Neogen World Angus Forum, a major event in global Angus beef industry, is set to return in 2025.

Animal welfare drives scientist’s research

Whatever an animal is raised for, it deserves a good life — and just as importantly, a “good death”.

‘Nanobubble’ trial trims irrigation water usage

North Canterbury dairy farmer and recently-elected deputy chair of DairyNZ, Cameron Henderson, is enjoying a huge reduction in irrigation water use after converting a pivot irrigator to drag perforated drip tubes across the ground instead of elevated sprinkler heads.

Editorial: Elusive India FTA

OPINION: Without doubt, a priority of the Government this year will be to gain traction on the elusive free trade deal with India.

Sport star to talk at expo

Rugby league legend Tawera Nikau is set to inspire, celebrate and entertain at the East Coast Farming Expo's very popular Property Broker's Evening Muster.