Northland farmers losing time and money to poor internet
The lack of quality internet coverage in Northland is costing farmers time and money, says Federated Farmers Northland president Colin Hannah.
Farmers have given the incoming Government the tick of approval.
Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford says the new Government, announced today, have set out a clear and credible plan to get farming back on track and restore farmer confidence.
"The last six years have been incredibly challenging for farmers and rural communities with a lot of impractical and expensive regulation. Farmer confidence is at record lows," Langford says.
In the lead up to the election Federated Farmers released a rural roadmap with 12 policy priorities for the next Government that return some positivity to farming and get things back on track.
Langford notes that the politicians have clearly sat up and taken notice, because the new Government have adopted those policy priorities as their own.
"The ute tax will be gone by Christmas, water storage is on the way, and there is a real intent to cut through the red tape that farmers have been wrapped up in," Langford says.
Farmers will be particularly pleased to see a firm commitment to fix the unworkable freshwater rules and replace them with something that will actually work behind the farm gate.
"There will also be a review the highly political and unscientific methane reduction targets in the Zero Carbon Act to ensure New Zealand is taking a warming approach.
"All of these things will go a long way when it comes to restoring farmer confidence. Federated Farmers look forward to working with the new Government to make sure they deliver," Langford says.
While opening the first electrode boiler at its Edendale site, Fonterra has announced a $70 million investment in two further new electrode boilers.
Fonterra says its ongoing legal battle with Australian processor Bega Cheese won’t change its divestment plans.
With an amendment to the Medicines Act proposing human medicines could be approved in 30 days if the product has approval from two recognised overseas jurisdictions, there’s a call for a similar approach to be applied to animal medicines.
The Government wants to make sure that rural communities get a level of service that people who live in cities often complacently expect.
As the New Zealand Government launches negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement with India, one Canterbury-based vegetable seed breeder is already benefiting from exporting to the world's fifth-largest economy.
Onenui Station on Mahia Peninsula in northern Hawke's Bay is a world first in more ways than one.
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