Competition culls 13,000 goats
A collaborative effort between hunters, landowners, and conservation organisations has seen the successful removal of 12,935 wild goats during the second annual National Competition.
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.”
Ham has edged out lamb to become Kiwis’ top choice for their Christmas tables this year.
Dairy Women’s Network (DWN) has announced real estate company Bayleys will be the naming partner for its 2025 conference.
As New Zealand enters the summer months, rural insurer FMG is reminding farmers and growers to take extra care with a new campaign.
Hato Hone St John is urging Kiwis to have a safe summer this year.
Hawke’s Bay’s Silt Recovery Taskforce has received the Collaboration Excellence Award at the Association of Local Government Information Management (ALGIM) Awards.
Construction is underway at Fonterra’s new UHT cream plant at Edendale, Southland following a groundbreaking ceremony recently.
OPINION: Before we all let The Green Party have at it with their 'bold' emissions reduction plan, the Hound thought…
OPINION: The Feds' latest banking survey shows that bankers are even less popular with farmers than they used to be,…