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Federated Farmers president Andrew Hoggard.
With sweeping changes facing local government, and the very existence of some councils under threat, Federated Farmers is urging rural New Zealanders to step up their interest in the election campaign this year.
“The Three Waters juggernaut is gathering steam despite a great deal of opposition,” says Federated Farmers president Andrew Hoggard. “Unchanged, it will put control of critical infrastructure in the hands of unelected and hard to hold to account entities, likely headquartered far away from rural New Zealand.”
This, plus moves for district planning functions to be regionalised, will leave some provincial councils with little left to do, “and thus ripe for forced amalgamations, given the review of the future of local government doesn’t wind up until next year,” Hoggard says.
Local body elections happen again in September/October and Federated Farmers has just released its 2022 Local Elections Platform. Located on the Federated Farmers’ website and sets out the federation’s position on the major issues swirling around local government, with questions and advice for voters and candidates.
“Amidst this uncertainty, communities will need sound, level-headed representation like never before, as their councils navigate this once-in-a-generation change and fight for local accountability,” Hoggard says.
He says the basics are important too.
“Our need for safe and sustainable rural roads, smart rating systems, and common-sense regulation are enduring. Such things are essential to the wellbeing of the farming community, in times of great change matters simple and important can easily be lost.”
Federated Farmers is asking rural leaders with commitment, practical common sense and energy to consider standing for election, and all residents to put searching questions to those who would represent them in local government.
"Be daring! Talk up core services, talk down wasteful, feel-good expenditure and big rates increases, and support our farmers in these challenging times. Most of all fight for the right of local communities to decide on how their local democracy functions, not Wellington," Hoggard says.
Federated Farmers meat and wool chair, Toby Williams says what the Government has effectively signed up for is a decade more of planting pine trees on productive land because that’s the only way for our country to achieve such a steep reduction.
With a record $10-plus/kgMS milk price almost locked in for this season, next season isn’t looking too shabby either.
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Southland Federated Farmers president Jason Herrick says farmers are prepared for winter grazing every year.
While many MPs have been busy taking holidays in maybe exotic places, for Andrew Hoggard it's back to his old job as a dairy farmer during the so-called 'summer break'.
Farmlands says that improved half-year results show that the co-op’s tight focus on supporting New Zealand’s farmers and growers is working.
Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ) says that discovery of a male Oriental fruit fly on Auckland’s North Shore is a cause for concern for growers.
Fonterra says its earnings for the 2025 financial year are anticipated to be in the upper half of its previously forecast earnings range of 40-60 cents per share.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) is having another crack at increasing the fees of its chair and board members.
Livestock management tech company Nedap has launched Nedap New Zealand.
An innovative dairy effluent management system is being designed to help farmers improve on-farm effluent practices and reduce environmental impact.
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