Government's New Planning System, PC1 'Won't Mesh Together Well'
Waikato farmers have been told that the Government’s new planning system legislation and the region’s Plan Change 1 (PC1) “won’t mesh together very well”.
Federated Farmers is elated US President, Barack Obama, has committed the US to the Trans Pacific Partnership in his State of the Union address.
"The world is a better and safer place when we trade openly and honestly," says Bruce Wills, Federated Farmers president.
"This is greatly reinforced by President Obama saying to the American people that he wants to complete negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
"We can all look forward to a great 2013 because America wants to export its way to growth just as much as we do.
"The TPP economies have a combined GDP of some US$21 trillion. The TPP places us in tomorrow's world and with tomorrow's economies like Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Vietnam, Chile, Peru, Mexico, Canada and the US.
"This game changer is now within our grasp for our economy and especially our primary industries.
"I recognise some people fear the TPP but did not another US President facing troubled economic times say 'the only thing we have to fear is fear itself'. In the 1930's, the world turned to protectionism and trade barriers that took a global cataclysm to resolve.
"Today, we know that trade is the best guarantor of peace and stability because it lifts living standards and understanding.
"All we want is a TPP which eliminates tariffs on all products without exception, introduces liberal rules of origin within the TPP region and ensures regulations adhere to international science based standards.
"We have the strong impression President Obama wants that to," Wills says.
New Zealand dairy farmers are set to be the first in the world to receive access to a new digital physical milk pricing tool that enables them to fix the price for their physical milk.
State farmer Pāmu is opening its farm gates this summer in an effort to give the rural sector the opportunity to see how large-scale, multi-system farming is delivering productivity and profitability across New Zealand.
A five-year study has found that the cost of reducing emissions without technology may be significant and unsustainable for Northland dairy farmers.
DairyNZ says Waikato farmers need certainty on Plan Change 1, but they say that certainty must be matched with practical, workable rules and a clear transition that doesn't get ahead of the new resource management system currently under review.
While the Government has moved quickly to make commercial hauliers' lot easier during the current fuel crisis, they appear to be stuck in the creep box when it comes to the agricultural industry.
Waikato farmers have been told that the Government’s new planning system legislation and the region’s Plan Change 1 (PC1) “won’t mesh together very well”.

OPINION: Central Hawke's Bay farmer Mark Warren recently told the Hawke's Bay Times it's time for a conversation about allowing…
OPINION: A nation that relies as heavily as NZ does on functional global shipping lanes will have to do its…