increase font size
Federated Farmers President Wayne Langford
Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford says the Coalition Government’s first budget unveiled yesterday has no frills or surprises.
“Just like the average farmer’s budget this season, the Government doesn’t have a lot of spare cash laying around to spend on nice-to-haves and optional extras,” notes Langford.
He says at an operational level, he was relieved to see all the non-negotiables were still there, with continued funding for things like frontline biosecurity, catchment groups and cyclone recovery.
“Unfortunately, that’s as far as the money stretched.
“I think it would be fair to say that when farmers are doing well, the New Zealand economy seems to do pretty well too – but times are tough. Money has been tight for most farming families for a while now, and it looks like that economic reality is starting to hit home for the rest of the country.”
Langford reiterated his earlier comments to media that that the road to New Zealand’s economic success”s isn’t paved with more red tape, regulation and compliance costs”.
“The road to our economic success is paved with more milk, meat, fruit and grain.
“We need to be unshackling the potential of our productive sectors, and those who get out of bed each morning to milk cows, shift cattle, harvest crops and pick fruit. Those are the people who create jobs and earn an income for our country that pays for all those other things like schools, roads and hospitals.
“Farmers aren’t looking for a handout. We just want the Government to continue to cut the unnecessary red tape and compliance costs that have been bogging us down for too long.”
Federated Farmers is celebrating following the Government's announcement that young farmers will be able to use their KiwiSaver funds to buy their first home or farm.
OPINION: The euphoria over the Government’s two new bills to replace the broken Resource Management Act is over.
Canterbury arable farmers are down by tens of millions of dollars after a rollercoaster of wild changeable January weather saw harvests delayed and some crops destroyed by violent hailstorms.
OPINION: The past few weeks have been tough on farms across the North Island: floods and storms have caused damage and disruption to families and businesses.
Sheep and beef farmers in Hawke's Bay are being urged to keep a close eye on the wells that supply water to their stock.
Donald Trump's latest tariff tantrum has again thrown the world of trade into a new round of turmoil and uncertainty, and NZ is caught up in it.
The third edition of the NZ Dairy Expo, held in mid-February in Matamata, has shown that the KISS principle (keep it simple stupid) was getting a positive response from exhibitors and visitors alike.
Twenty years ago, South African dairy farm manager Louis Vandenberg was sent to a farm in Waikato to provide training on Afimilk technology.
Strong farmgate milk price is helping boost investment on farms, says PGG Wrightson chief executive Stephen Guerin.
Fonterra's 460 milk suppliers in Australia, who will switch to Lactalis end of this month, are unfazed with the impending change.
The 5+ A Day Charitable Trust has launched a collection of affordable recipes designed to turn everyday vegetables into seasonal stars.
OPINION: A mate of yours truly reckons rural Manawatu families are the latest to suffer under what he calls the…
OPINION: If old Winston Peters thinks building trade relations with new nations, such as India, isn't a necessary investment in…
