Bikinis in cowshed
OPINION: An animal activist organisation is calling for an investigation into the use of dairy cows in sexuallly explicit content posted on social media and adult entertainment subscription site OnlyFans.
Dirty tricks played on the farming sector by an animal rights lobby could cost the group its charitable status.
SAFE has criticised the dairy industry via its highly publicised campaigns targeting mistreatment of bobby calves.
Last year, it published a scathing ad in UK newspaper The Guardian, describing the "shocking treatment" of calves in the New Zealand dairy industry.
In response, outraged farmers described the campaign as "emotional scaremongering" and said it was an attempt to undermine NZ's economy.
A petition started by Gore dairy farmer Bridget Lowry has reached nearly 11,000 signatures, calling for SAFE's charitable status to be revoked.
The petition has been presented to the Department of Internal Affairs and is being treated as a formal complaint, which could lead to its status being reviewed. A spokeswoman said the department had requested information from SAFE about its current activities.
Lowry said she was sick of SAFE's "slander against dairy farmers", which she said unfairly portrayed them as cruel.
She claims the lobby did not use funds to educate the public, as required to maintain its charitable status, she said.
SAFE's most recent financial reports show virtually all its funding -- just over $1 million – comes from donations. If its charitable status was revoked, it would have to pay tax on its donations.
SAFE executive director Hans Kriek says the claims were unfounded and he was not worried about losing charitable status.
Federated Farmers is joining major industry-good bodies in not advocating for the Government to withdraw from the Paris Agreement.
Managing director of Woolover Ltd, David Brown, has put a lot of effort into verifying what seems intuitive, that keeping newborn stock's core temperature stable pays dividends by helping them realise their full genetic potential.
Within the next 10 years, New Zealand agriculture will need to manage its largest-ever intergenerational transfer of wealth, conservatively valued at $150 billion in farming assets.
Boutique Waikato cheese producer Meyer Cheese is investing in a new $3.5 million facility, designed to boost capacity and enhance the company's sustainability credentials.
OPINION: The Government's decision to rule out changes to Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) that would cost every farmer thousands of dollars annually, is sensible.
Compensation assistance for farmers impacted by Mycoplama bovis is being wound up.
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