State roadshow talking all things wool
'A lot of interest and positive responses' appears to be the way farmers are viewing the Government's initiative to hold a series of woolshed meetings around the country.
Former Federated Farmers president Andrew Hoggard says farmers should be commended for their work around sustainability.
Delivering his maiden speech in Parliament this month, the Manawatū dairy farmer noted that farmers are always trying something new in their farming systems.
"Some work, some don't; we adopt, we adapt, and it's incremental. Like all good things, they take time.
"The biggest change I have seen isn't the physical one on the farms, but it's one of a mindset shift and what many farmers are looking at, as to what more they can do.
"We have seen the growth of catchment groups, and I see dairy farmers talking with pride at how much fencing of waterways they have done."
Hoggard recalled speaking on a farming panel at the World Dairy Summit in Rotterdam.
He says all the other farmers got up and talked about what they were going to do and maybe intended to do, whereas he was able to get up and speak about what we had done, all without subsidies - "a point that got a few laughs, but probably more grumpy looks from the EU".
He says the biggest risk to further progress is ignoring this change.
"If the feeling amongst farmers becomes, 'Why do I bother to do all this, because there is nothing I am doing that is being recognised?', they will give up.
"They lose hope; they stop doing. Farming will continue to evolve."
Hoggard acknowledged his former Feds colleagues who are in Parliament - Miles Anderson, Mike Butterick and Mark Patterson.
"My time in Feds has also prepared me for this role, from gaining knowledge around a myriad of issues to trying to find compromise amongst that broad church that is the Fed Farmers national council - to be the most difficult challenge of all, presenting at a select committee and trying to understand what the hell the question they just asked me meant in English."
South Waikato farm manager Ben Purua’s amazing transformation from gang life to milking cows was rewarded with the Ahuwhenua Young Maori Farmer award last night.
Bankers have been making record profits in the last few years, but those aren’t the only records they’ve been breaking, says Federated Farmers vice president Richard McIntyre.
The 2023-24 season has been a roller coaster ride for Waikato dairy farmers, according to Federated Farmers dairy section chair, Mathew Zonderop.
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) director general Ray Smith says job cuts announced this morning will not impact the way the Ministry is organised or merge business units.
Scales Corporation is acquiring a number of orchard assets from Bostock Group.
Family and solidarity shone through at the 75 years of Ferdon sale in Otorohanga last month.