Rural Lobby Groups Seek Clear Election Positions On Farming And Emissions
Centre right parties are backing policy positions pushed by three farmer lobby groups ahead of the general election.
Another nationwide protest by farmers will be held on August 16 unless the Government listens to their concerns.
This was announced at the Groundswell protest in Morrinsville where over 2500 people backed by 250 tractors and 100 utes took part in a rally.
There were calls for the Government to review its policies around farming, especially those related to sustainability and water. Tradies are also unhappy with getting hammered with a clean car tax on utes, vehicles considered an integral part of their job.
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A sign from the protest in Timaru. |
Waikato farmer Andrew McGiven was one of the speakers at the Morrinsville rally.
He says the country and farming folks are fed up with Wellington imposing badly thought out policies on them.
The nationwide protest saw thousands of tractors, utes and other farm vehicles driven through main towns.
In Levin, about 50 tractors and over 200 vehicles took part.
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Henry Bennick from Taihape with his dogs at the Levin Protest. |
Taupo also reported a huge procession of tractors, utes and cars.
In Auckland about 200 tractors drove up the Southern Motorway to the city centre. Some tractors were not allowed into the city centre and ended up at the Ellerslie Events Centre.
Potatoes New Zealand has congratulated Peter Reynolds of TA Reynolds Ltd in Pukekohe on being awarded the Horticulture New Zealand Bledisloe Cup, recognising a lifetime of service and contribution to New Zealand horticulture.
Signing up to a benchmarking tool is not about competition, but about improving collectively, says Ximena Puig and Alvaro Luzardo who are 50-50 sharemilkers at a 164-hectare (effective) dairy farm in Eketāhuna in the Lower North Island.
A leading British farming politician says he's impressed with the positive attitude of New Zealand farmers that he met during his recent trip here.
OPINION: With 10,500 dairy farms, New Zealand continues to punch above its weight around the world.
The Southern Dairy Hub (SDH), which runs a demonstration farm for South Island farmers, has a new general manager.
Esther Guy-Meakin has been announced as the new chief executive of the New Zealand Meat Board (NZMB).

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