Select committee 'blew it' - Feds
Sheep and beef farmers are urging the Government to do more to stop productive farmland overrun by pine trees.
Beef + Lamb NZ has welcomed most of the recommendations in the latest report by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (PCE) relating to land use change.
Chair Kate Acland says the case studies show that existing and expected environment-related policies and rules, could lead to a significant decline in the sheep and beef sector.
In his report, the PCE, Simon Upton says for too long the issue of land use change has been relegated to the 'too-hard' basket and it's now time to confront some of the difficult questions regarding this.
He says while afforestation should continue, it should be in a way that is better suited to the landscape. He adds that national-level regulations that impact on land use change do not consider the differences of NZ landscapes and their communities. He says at present land owners are the main decision makers when it comes to land use change, but argues that catchment groups provide a way for willing land users to learn from each other.
Acland says B+LNZ supports the PCE's concerns about the impact of NZ's current policy settings around forestry offsetting in the ETS. She says the PCE modelling shows a high risk that major areas of productive farms will continue to be converted into forestry for carbon credits under current policy settings. Acland says they also support the PCE's recommendation for a 'catchment based approach' to environmental rules.
Phoebe Scherer, a technical manager from the Bay of Plenty, has won the 2025 Young Grower of the Year national title.
The Fencing Contractors Association of New Zealand (FCANZ) celebrated the best of the best at the 2025 Fencing Industry Awards, providing the opportunity to honour both rising talent and industry stalwarts.
Award-winning boutique cheese company, Cranky Goat Ltd has gone into voluntary liquidation.
As an independent review of the National Pest Management Plan for TB finds the goal of complete eradication by 2055 is still valide, feedback is being sought on how to finish the job.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand has launched an AI-powered digital assistant to help farmers using the B+LNZ Knowledge Hub to create tailored answers and resources for their farming businesses.
A tiny organism from the arid mountains of mainland Greece is facilitating a new way of growing healthier animals on farms across New Zealand.
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