Editorial: Time for change
OPINION: With election day only a few days away and advance voting well underway, there appears to be a mood for change in rural and provincial New Zealand.
Farmers have taken to social media to express outrage at the Government over a new levy.
Last week, Rural News reported that the New Zealand Agricultural Aviation Association (NZAAA) was unhappy with a proposed new aerial safety levy.
NZAAA claims the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) levy unfairly targets the ag sector and will increase the costs of aerial spreading of fertiliser and spraying of crops.
NZAAA is not alone in such claims, as evident in the social media reaction to the levy.
Popular New Zealand farming Facebook page, NZ Farming wrote, “Of all Government departments, the CAA must surely have the title of the most out of control with what they charge in terms of compliance costs.”
A top comment by Jeff Davis added, “This country has lost the plot with safety we have made a whole industry out of heath [sic] and safety it’s getting out of control.”
Another comment by BC Warren said, “Transporting people should attract the higher levy, contributing to growing food for the economy should be exempt.”
Agricultural aviation company Farmers Air wrote on their Facebook, “We think this type of levy is grossly unfair and is just another tax that will have to be passed onto our clients, please speak with you [sic] local Federated Farmers rep and local MP about this unfair tax. We don’t mind paying our way but we have seen no improved service or efficiencies in the way CAA conducts its business.”
What was clear within the social media reaction was disapproval for the current Labour-government, with many farmers feeling betrayed by Labour’s promise of no new taxes and supporting the primary sector.
“On the news tonight everyone is voting labour,” wrote Richard Langdon on the NZ Farming post, receiving only laughing reactions.
A vet is calling for all animals to be vaccinated against a new strain of leptospirosis (lepto) discovered on New Zealand dairy farms in recent years.
Two major red meat sector projects are getting up to a combined $1.7 million in funding from the New Zealand Meat Board (NZMB).
Angus Barr and Tara Dwyer of The Wandle, Lone Star Farms in Strath Taieri have been named the Regional Supreme Winners at the Otago Ballance Farm Environment Awards in Dunedin.
OPINION: The distress that the politicians and bureaucrats are causing to the people of Wairoa and the wider Tairāwhiti is unforgivable.
Dairy
Rural banker Rabobank is partnering with Food Rescue Kitchen on a new TV series which airs this weekend that aims to shine a light on the real and growing issues of food waste, food poverty and social isolation in New Zealand.
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