Federated Farmers hails rural banking report
Federated Farmers says the final report into banking competition is a significant step forward for rural New Zealand - and a vindication of the farming sector's concern.
Federated Farmers policy team staff reductions haven't just been about saving money or reducing headcount, chief executive Terry Copeland claims.
"We've also made some significant changes to the structure of our organisation to make sure we can deliver the best possible outcomes for our members with the resources we have."
Copeland told Rural News that as a result of the restructuring, its policy team would be reduced by 6.5 full-time employees (FTE) - with 3.5 being regional policy staff and three national policy staff. As four positions were already vacant this meant that only 2.5 FTE would actually be made redundant.
"We are working through that process now with staff," he says. "Federated Farmers still have 23 people working in policy across the country. This is a large and well-resourced team."
Asked about what changes were planned to distribute the present workload amongst a smaller number of employees, Copeland says Feds was working with its provincial presidents, board, and staff to prioritise work in the policy team.
"We will still be working on all the big things farmers expect us to be, but the reality is that we can't do everything," he says.
"We're also working with other groups like DairyNZ and Beef+Lamb NZ to see where we can get some efficiencies. We don't expect most members to notice much of a difference in the service they receive from Federated Farmers."
The Government has struck a deal with New Zealand's poultry industry, agreeing how they will jointly prepare for and respond to exotic poultry diseases, including any possible outbreak of high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI).
The conversion of productive farmland into trees has pretty much annihilated the wool industry.
OPINION: Productive whole farmlands conversions into forestry are becoming a thorny issue for the Government.
Thus far in 2025, the Hawke's Bay rescue helicopter crew have completed over 220 missions, resulting in numerous positive patient outcomes.
The New Zealand Food Network's (NZFN) fifth birthday celebrations have been boosted by a whopping five tonne meat donation from meat processor ANZCO.
Pukekohe vegetable growers farewelled 101-year-old Alan Wilcox in late July, celebrating his many achievements and reflecting the widespread respect in which he was held.