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OPINION: About as productive as a politician's taxpayer-funded trip to Hawaii, as cost-effective as an OSPRI IT project, and as smart as the power-company pylon worker, the Hound gives you the NZ Post business strategy:
Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) National President, Fiona Gower and National Chair Penny Mudford OMNZ have arrived in New York to attend the United Nations’ 62nd Commission on the Status of Women (CSW62).
Gower is representing RWNZ at CSW62 as a member of the Pacific Women's Watch (NZ) delegation and Ms Mudford is attending as the Civil Society Representative on the New Zealand Government Delegation.
“The priority theme for CSW62 is ‘Challenges and opportunities in achieving gender equality and the empowerment of rural women and girls so it is important we are there,” says President, Fiona Gower.
“RWNZ has taken the opportunity to share our stories with women from all around the world, gain knowledge and insights for our rural women from an international platform and get involved with ensuring that UN countries agree to do all they can to empower rural women and girls.
"We will be at various events throughout the two weeks including a side event at the UN which is co-sponsored by the New Zealand, Australian and Argentinian governments.
“RWNZ has organised a parallel event not far from the UN complex which includes women from around New Zealand sharing their experiences in business, governance and media.
“This is truly an outstanding opportunity for RWNZ to share the ingenuity, enterprise and empowerment we enjoy in New Zealand with rural women from around the world so they themselves are empowered – that’s quite special,” says Gower.
Farmers will get an opportunity to hear about the latest developments in sheep genetics at the Sheep Breeder Forum this May.
Specialist horticulture and viticulture weather forecasters Metris says the incoming Cyclone Vaianu is likely to impact growers across the country.
A group of old Otago uni mates with a love of South Island back-country have gone the lengths of Waiau Toa Clarence from source to sea. Tim Fulton, who joined the group in the final fun to the river mouth, tells their story.
Operating with a completely different format from conventional tractors and combine harvesters, the NEXAT prime mover combines all steps of crop production in one modular carrier vehicle, from tillage, through seeding to harvesting.
Reports of severe weather forecast to move over the vast majority of New Zealand’s kiwifruit orchards this weekend will be very concerning for a significant number of growers.
Seeka chief executive Michael Franks says while it's still early days in terms of the kiwifruit harvest, things are looking pretty good.

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