Federated Farmers hails rural banking report
Federated Farmers says the final report into banking competition is a significant step forward for rural New Zealand - and a vindication of the farming sector's concern.
Federated Farmers board member Katie Milne says rural posties could play a significant role in helping to deal with the aftermath of the devastating earthquake.
Milne, who is helping coordinate Feds’ assistance to farmers in quake-hit areas, says once the roads are cleared, rural posties could play a major role in helping to get information to isolated farmers. They could also bring back information to people working on assistance programmes.
She says the rural mail people know farmers well and could provide valuable feedback. They are a vital communication link especially if telecommunications are dodgy.
Milne says Feds are keen to meet the welfare needs of all farming families. Some farmers may choose to send children away to relatives while they focus on fixing damaged farms. Others may want to their family close by and this will be a very personal issue.
Fertiliser co-operative Ballance has written down $88 million - the full value of its Kapuni urea plant in Taranaki - from its balance sheet in the face of a looming gas shortage.
The Government and horticulture sector have unveiled a new roadmap with an aim to double horticulture farmgate returns by 2035.
Canterbury farmers and the Police Association say they are frustrated by proposed cuts to rural policing in the region.
The strain and pressure of weeks of repairing their flood-damaged properties is starting to tell on farmers and orchardists in the Tasman district.
The sale price of Fonterra’s global consumer and associated businesses to the world’s largest dairy company Lactalis has risen to $4.22 billion.
Alliance Group's proposal to sell a 65% shareholding to Ireland's Dawn Meats won't solve the red meat industry's structural problems, says former Federated Farmers meat and wool chair Toby Williams.
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