Life Sciences Network chair and former Federated Farmers president William Rolleston spoke at the Bluegreens Forum in Methven last week. Here are excerpts from his speech:
OPINION: Federated Farmers' latest farmer confidence survey results won’t surprise too many people.
OPINION: Donald Trump's focus on Canada is causing concern for the country’s dairy farmers.
OPINION: The fact that plant-based dairy is struggling to gain a market foothold isn’t deterring new entrants.
OPINION: Nearly four years after buying a 75% stake in Southland processor Mataura Valley Milk (MVM), A2 Milk is still struggling to take the plant to profitability.
OPINION: Fonterra isn't backing down in its fight with Greenpeace over the labelling of its iconic Anchor Butter.
OPINION: Earlier this month, we received the exciting news that New Zealand’s apple and pear sector had surpassed $1 billion in revenue for the very first time.
OPINION: Like many others in our rural communities, I grew up in a farmhouse with our telephone proudly sporting something like a crank handle on it.
OPINION: Henry Dimbleby, author of the UK's Food Strategy, recently told the BBC: "Meat production is about 85% of our current farming use so we can afford to pull that back a bit in order to restore nature... in order to get clean energy. That is not a major sacrifice."
OPINION: For the last few weeks, we've witnessed a parade of complaints about New Zealand's school lunch program: 'It's arriving late.' 'The portions are wrong.' 'I wanted caviar.'
OPINION: Submissions on the Government's contentious Gene Technology Bill have closed.
OPINION: It is a privilege to welcome you all to this year's Central Districts Field Days, the country's largest regional field days.
OPINION: We need to stop treating the dry period as just a rest between lactations and understand that it’s a significant biological reset that impacts the health and productivity of the next lactation.
OPINION: The farming sector, or at least some parts of it, are preparing for a battle with the Government over its latest international climate change target.
OPINION: Australian dairy is bracing for the retirement of an iconic dairy brand.
OPINION: Another sign that the plant-based dairy fallacy is unravelling and that nothing beats dairy-based products.
OPINION: The coalition Government, already under the pump thanks to poor polling numbers, is facing the ire of its traditional support base – dairy and red meat farmers.
OPINION: It seems Fonterra has quietly conceded a labelling faux pas on its iconic butter brand.
OPINION: What does it say about our government when it sneaks its Gene Technology Bill through on the final day of Parliament and then expects our entire dairy sector to digest it all in the middle of the summer holidays?
OPINION: There will be many who have noted with sadness the recent death of Peter Taylor, who established Scenic Cellars, the legendary lakefront wineshop in Taupō, in 1981; a vinous treasure trove where customers were as likely to discover a vertical of Cook’s or Mazuran’s as that of DRC or Lafite.
OPINION: Recent progress in methods for gene manipulations suggests exciting new possibilities in medicine and agriculture, but significant risks remain and a lot could go wrong.
OPINION: All models are wrong.
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The Hound
Sacrificed?
OPINION: Henry Dimbleby, author of the UK's Food Strategy, recently told the BBC: "Meat production is about 85% of our…
Entitled much?
OPINION: For the last few weeks, we've witnessed a parade of complaints about New Zealand's school lunch program: 'It's arriving…
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