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
Legal controls on the movement of fruits and vegetables are now in place in Auckland’s Mt Roskill suburb, says Biosecurity New Zealand Commissioner North Mike Inglis.
Arable growers worried that some weeds in their crops may have developed herbicide resistance can now get the suspected plants tested for free.
Fruit growers and exporters are worried following the discovery of a male Queensland fruit fly in Auckland this week.
Dairy prices have jumped in the overnight Global Dairy Trade (GDT) auction, breaking a five-month negative streak.
Alliance Group chief executive Willie Wiese is leaving the company after three years in the role.
A booklet produced in 2025 by the Rotoiti 15 trust, Department of Conservation and Scion – now part of the Bioeconomy Science Institute – aims to help people identify insect pests and diseases.