Federated Farmers Urges Fast Action on Canterbury Local Government Reform
Federated Farmers is urging Canterbury's council leaders to move quickly on local government reform.
Federated Farmers president Katie Milne says it's agriculture’s time to shine by stepping up now “when the country needs us more than ever”.
As the country moves towards the highest alert level in the fight against coronavirus, Milne says the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has made sure that agriculture is “all in” as essential services.
Now the farming sector has to step up and function under strict distancing policies on farm “so we are safe while we continue producing food”, she adds.
“As we are in a biological system where the seasons don’t wait things need to keep happening in line with seasonal requirements,” she told Rural News.
She warns these are strict times and only “work” can be done.
“No gallivanting off socially - we are expected to observe lockdown rules after work just like the rest of our communities.
“None of us has the right to flaunt this as it could put the health of others at risk.”
Milne says a lot of work still needs to be done to iron out finer details with Ministry of Primary Industries around the current situation.
“Everyone is working well together on this to get it right.”
Silver Fern Farms has successfully produced and delivered 90 tonnes of premium chilled New Zealand lamb and beef to the United Arab Emirates via airfreight.
For the first three months of 2026, new tractor deliveries saw an increase over the previous two months, resulting in year-to-date deliveries climbing to 649 units - around 5% ahead of the same period in 2025.
QU Dongyu, director-general of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), has issued a warning saying that global fertiliser scarcity caused by disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz will lead to lower yields and tightening food supplies into 2027.
Federated Farmers is urging Canterbury's council leaders to move quickly on local government reform.
Having represented New Zealand at the 2024 and 2005 World Ploughing Championships, in Estonia and The Czech Republic respectively, Southland contractor Mark Dillon was at Methven last month for the NZ Ploughing Champs.
New research suggests sheep and beef farmers could improve both profitability and emissions efficiency by increasing lamb weaning weights, with only marginal changes in total greenhouse gas emissions.

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