increase font size
Left to Right: Damien O'Connor (Labour), Eugenie Sage (Green Party), Todd McClay (National), Andrew Hoggard (ACT), and Mark Patterson (NZ First).
About 300 farmers and agriculture industry leaders turned up last night for the Rural Issues Debate in Hamilton.
Agriculture Minister (Labour) Damien O’Connor, Green Party MP Eugenie Sage, National ag spokesman Todd McClay, ACT candidate and former Federated Farmers president Andrew Hoggard, and former NZ First MP and Otago farmer Mark Patterson traded barbs on climate change, the Emissions Trading Scheme, water regulations and rural banking during the 90-minute event. The audience were not allowed to ask questions.
Sage, who is retiring from politics, offered apologies on behalf of Climate Change Minister James Shaw, who pulled out and opted to attend a finance debate in Queenstown last night.
The debate was organised by DairyNZ, Beef+Lamb NZ and Federated Farmers.
Feds president Wayne Langford told Rural News that he was pleased with the turnout – both in the audience and the political panel.
“It is very good of all the significant political parties to recognise the importance of the rural vote and show up tonight,” says Langford.
"None of the speakers held back in their views and the crowd took it very seriously, due to the state of the primary sector at the moment.
“All the speakers raised really good points and represented their parties well.”
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).
OPINION: Newsroom is running a series of articles looking into the influence of lobbying and has kicked it off with agriculture.
New Zealand avocado growers have received a major boost by securing a collective FernMark Licence for their exports.
Trade Minister Todd McClay says the US tariff decision appears to be based on a calculation of trade deficits, with countries running a surplus with the US moved to the higher rate.
With adverse weather set to rain down on the Top of the South, the Bay of Plenty and parts of Northland, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says farmers, foresters, and growers need to prepare for possible challenges.
The team meeting at the Culverden Hotel was relaxed and open, despite being in the middle of calving when stress levels are at peak levels, especially in bitterly cold and wet conditions like today.
A comment by outspoken academic Dr Mike Joy suggesting that dairy industry leaders should be hanged for nitrate contamination of drinking/groundwater has enraged farmers.
OPINION: The phasing out of copper network from communications is understandable.
Driven by a lifelong passion for animals, Amy Toughey's journey from juggling three jobs with full-time study to working on cutting-edge dairy research trials shows what happens when hard work meets opportunity - and she's only just getting started.
The New Zealand Fish & Game Council has announced a leadership change in an effort to provide strategic direction for the sector and support the implementation of proposed legislative changes.
AgFirst, New Zealand's largest independent agribusiness consultancy, is turning 30 - celebrating three decades of "trusted advice, practical solutions, and innovative thinking".
