Wednesday, 25 October 2023 09:37

Big job!

Written by The Hound

font size decrease font size increase font size
Print
Email

OPINION: Your old mate reckons the new Government has a big turnaround job in getting farmers feeling confident again.

According to the latest Rabobank Rural Confidence survey - completed late last month - farmer confidence now sits at -72% and is the lowest in the 20-year history of the survey, eclipsing the previous record low of -71% recorded in quarter four last year.

The bank says a swathe of farmer concerns contributed to record low sentiment, with lower commodity prices now emerging as another source of farmer anxiety.

With feelings like this in the rural community it is no wonder so many rural and provincial seats turned blue at the recent election.

It is obvious the electoral demise of outgoing Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor and his former cabinet colleagues - such as David Parker and James Shaw - will not be mourned by rural NZ.

More like this

Labour Supply Remains Top Concern for NZ Dairy Farmers

Labour supply, and not geopolitical events, remains New Zealand dairy farmers' biggest worry, says Federated Farmers dairy chair Karl Dean.

Wrong focus

OPINION: Your old mate reckons townie Brooke van Velden, the Minister of Workplace (or is it Woke Place) Relations is now showing how underemployed she is as a minister by initiating an investigation into whether young children should be banned from collecting eggs on farms and feeding animals.

Burn the village

OPINION: There's an infamous term coined by a US general during the Vietnam war, specifically in reference to the battle of Ben Tre: "We had to burn the village to save it."

Purist problem

OPINION: The sudden departure of Jim Ward, manager of Molesworth Station for 24 years, highlighted some major dysfunction in the way conservation estate is managed in this country - the biggest problem, as the Hound sees it, being idealogues who harp on about "taonga" and use all means possible to block sensible commercial operations on conservation land.

Drill baby, drill!

OPINION: While the destruction of NZ's oil and gas industry by Jacinda Ardern's band of merry vandals was virtue signalling on a heroic scale - producing no environmental benefit whatsoever - the politician vowing to make that industry whole again, Shane Jones, is not above a bit of virtue signalling of his own.

Featured

Fieldays 2026: ACC Highlights Farm Injury Prevention

ACC says that this week's Fieldays is a great chance for farmers to pause and reflect on their processes and ensure that their life is in balance.

BNZ Launches First Farm Funding Boost Scheme

Bank of New Zealand (BNZ)will expand its First Farm support with a new funding boost designed to help more farmers and growers take their next step into farm ownership.

Westmorland Estate Celebrates Team Success in Dairy

Westmorland Estate Ltd, a Waikato company running three dairy farms, runs on the philosophy that 'you are only as good as your team'.

AgriZeroNZ Launches $51m Emissions Accelerator

AgriZeroNZ is ramping up efforts to accelerate the uptake of emissions reduction tools on farm with a new initiative to help more farmers put proven tools into practice.

Federated Farmers Release 2026 Election Platform

With the general election just molnths away, farmers have launched a five-point plan for the next government.

Government Invests in Rural Community Resilience

The Government is investing in a range of initiatives designed to strengthen the resilience of rural communities and improve preparedness for future adverse events.