Not so cuddly
OPINION: The image of regenerative farmers as kind, cuddly progressive types took a hit when one of their own took to social media to gloat over Bayer Crop Science's decision to close its Hastings research site.
(Top L-R) @mtaggartalliancegroup, @robhewettsff and @jmccarthymie. (Middle L-R) @fionahancoxsff, @winstonfirstandlast and @drbillfeds. (Bottom L-R) @jwilsonfonterra, @dcoullshc and @stevecardenlandcorp.
Rural News' irreverent and hypothetical look at what's happening in the farming world.
@mtaggartalliancegroup: To all those Alliance Group suppliers who thought lamb prices couldn't get any worse; we are now docking you 50 cents a sheep and $2 a beast to remain loyal supporters of the only true NZ meat co-op. #loyaltycosts
@robhewettsff: Ni how, SFF comrades. So I guess selling out to the Chinese doesn't sound so bad when it is costing you an extra 50 cents a lamb and $2 a cattle beast more to have your stock killed by a fully-owned NZ co-op? #dollarsandsense
@jmccarthymie: MIE has unendorsed SFF directors Richard Young and Dan Jex-Blake. Our principles do not include ceding control to foreign interests – so we are now backing a candidate who actually supports these principles. We're endorsing Donald Trump as the next president of the USA. #whocares
@fionahancoxsff: Hey @jmccarthymie any chance of getting MIE to unendorse me? I'd quite like this director gig and the kiss of death from MIE will not help my re-election chances. #thanksbutnothanks
@winstonfirstandlast: I see that Cyclone Winston did to Fiji as yours truly has to done NZ politics over the past 30 years. Made a big noise, blew hard, caused major damage, wreaked havoc and then buggered of out to sea and petered out! #wellnamed
@drbillfeds: Dairy's down; lamb is terrible; arable's struggling; drought in some parts; floods in others; the public blame farmers for everything from polluting our waterways to torturing animals. It's got me buggered why we can't attract young people into the farming sector. #betterworkstories #whatalife
@jwilsonfonterra: Good to see our 'discussion' booklet on governance is out and about with our farmer shareholders. It will give them something to keep them warm this winter when the power is cut due to low milk prices. #letshavetheconversation #moretalk
@dcoullshc: Hi @jwilsonfonterra can I just say Mr Chairman what a wonderful job you and your board are doing on behalf of Fonterra shareholders. When you talk about changing the culture at the co-op, does that mean we are looking at making more yoghurt? #loveyourwork #whatisgovernance
@stevecardenlandcorp: Our partnership with Shanghai Pengxin to run the former Crafar Farms has been an outstanding success. In fact, it has been so successful that we don't want to carry on working with them anymore. I just think it's time we started seeing other people. #itisnotyouitisme
Federated Farmers says almost 2000 farmers have signed a petition launched this month to urge the Government to step in and provide certainty while the badly broken resource consent system is fixed.
Zespri’s counter-seasonal Zespri Global Supply (ZGS) programme is underway with approximately 33 million trays, or 118,800 tonnes, expected this year from orchards throughout France, Italy, Greece, Korea, and Japan.
Animal owners can help protect life-saving antibiotics from resistant bacteria by keeping their animals healthy, says the New Zealand Veterinary Association.
According to analysis by the Meat Industry Association (MIA), New Zealand red meat exports reached $827 million in October, a 27% increase on the same period last year.
The black and white coat of Holstein- Friesian cows is globally recognised as a symbol of dairy farming and a defining trait of domestic cattle. But until recently, scientists didn’t know which genes were responsible for the Holstein’s spots.
According to the New Zealand Dairy Statistics 2024/25 report, New Zealand dairy farmers are achieving more with fewer cows.

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