Simon Upton urges cross-party consensus on New Zealand environmental goals
Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Simon Upton is calling for cross-party consensus on the country's overarching environmental goals.
50 Shades of Green says it is not anti trees, but believes the right trees should be in the right places.
The protest group ‘50 Shades of Green’ is organising a march on Parliament this week to try and stop good farmland being covered in pine trees.
Asked why we they are marching, organisers say the answer is simple.
“Farmers love the land. Many farms have been nurtured for generations to feed not only New Zealand but 40 million people internationally as well.
“We’re now seeing that land gone forever, often to overseas based aristocrats and carbon investors.”
The organisers say 50 Shades of Green is not anti trees, acknowledging the amenity and economic value of trees, but they believe it is about the right tree in the right place.
“What is happening now is that good farmland, sold offshore, is being blanket planted in pine trees. That means it is forever lost to New Zealand.”
“Large tracts of good farmland are being planted in trees. You can’t eat wood.”
Details:
March for the Future of Provincial New Zealand
Meet Civic Square Wellington, 11am Thursday 14th of November
Walk to Parliament arrive 1pm
Dress Rural Green to support the march
https://www.50shadesofgreen.co.nz/save-our-farms-protest-walk/
For those that can't make it. Dress rural green on the 14th, take a pic, upload to social and tag 50 Shades of Green: https://www.facebook.com/50shadesofgreen.nz
New Zealand needs a new healthcare model to address rising rates of obesity in rural communities, with the current system leaving many patients unable to access effective treatment or long-term support, warn GPs.
Southland farmers are being urged to put safety first, following a spike in tip offs about risky handling of wind-damaged trees
Third-generation Ashburton dairy farmers TJ and Mark Stewart are no strangers to adapting and evolving.
When American retail giant Cosco came to audit Open Country Dairy’s new butter plant at the Waharoa site and give the green light to supply their American stores, they allowed themselves a week for the exercise.
Fonterra chair Peter McBride says the divestment of Mainland Group is their last significant asset sale and signals the end of structural changes.
Thirty years ago, as a young sharemilker, former Waikato farmer Snow Chubb realised he was bucking a trend when he started planting trees to provide shade for his cows, but he knew the animals would appreciate what he was doing.

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