Editorial: The Government must come clean
OPINION: For most farmers and readers, the term Sustainable Finance Taxonomy will make little sense.
A 'national forum' of rural industry advocates is set to be held later this month.
Rural News understands the meeting will be chaired by North Otago farmer and rural advocate, Jane Smith. The gathering will involve groups such as 50 Shades of Green, Groundswell, Rural Advocacy Network, Farmers for Positive Change and the High Country Accord amongst others and also include farmer wellbeing experts.
It is believed the catalyst for the forum is that these groups - formed by farmers and growers dissatisfied by impending regulation outcomes and disappointed by the lack of pushback to such reforms from official farming bodies such as Beef + Lamb NZ and DairyNZ - are looking for 'unity' in the farming voice.
When contacted by Rural News, Smith declined to comment on the details surrounding the possibility of hosting such a forum.
"This is not because of any secrecy," she says. "But out of respect for the tireless work that these groups are doing out of their own pocket."
Smith says the fact that a meeting of 'like minds' isn't about empowering or forming another group.
"It's about getting a collective understanding of the areas that each group and individual is working within," she told Rural News. "These groups are a powerful voice and should not be viewed by funded advocacy organisations as a threat - but as an asset to the industry."
It begs the question that if the current rural advocacy structure is fit-for-purpose, would there be any need for these groups?
Two butcheries have claimed victory at the 100% New Zealand Bacon & Ham Awards for 2025.
A Taupiri farming company has been convicted and fined $52,500 in the Hamilton District Court for the unlawful discharge of dairy effluent into the environment.
The Climate Change Commission’s 2025 emissions reduction monitoring report reveals steady progress on the reduction of New Zealand’s climate pollution.
Another milestone has been reached in the fight against Mycoplasma bovis with the compensation assistance service being wound up after helping more than 1300 farmers.
The Government’s directive for state farmer Landcorp Farming (trading as Pamu) to lifts its performance is yielding results.
The move to bring bovine TB testing in-house at Ospri officially started this month, as a team of 37 skilled and experienced technicians begin work with the disease eradication agency.
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