Editorial: O Canada!
OPINION: Politicians the world over have as their priority - get elected and stay elected.
OPINION: Beef + Lamb NZ's annual meeting will be an interesting affair this year in a number of ways.
The meeting is being held in New Plymouth on March 30 and has garnered a record nine remits from levy payers.
The nine remits range from a demand for B+LNZ to immediately exit He Waka Eke Noa, an independent review of B+LNZ advocacy, change to weighted levy voting, asking for clarity on the role of the Farmer Council and a request for advocacy from the sheep and beef sector in the first instance.
Another key point of interest will be the results of the director election for the Southern South Island ward. This has seen current B+LNZ chair Andrew Morrison face a stiff challenge from fellow Southland farmer Geoff Young.
Like many of the remits proposed, the director election contest is seen as a challenge to the B+LNZ status quo and a demand for change.
This would all indicate that there could be blood on the floor at this year's AGM. However, history has shown a dismal lack of engagement in voting by red meat levypayers in the past - something around the 20-30% mark is the standard - and nothing indicates any change on this front this year.
Farmers only have themselves to blame if they fail to vote and engage in their industry's democratic process.
It is a bit rich for levypayers to complain about the work of B+LNZ when they can't even be bothered voting for who they put on the board of the organisation or the remits asking for change.
Undoubtedly there is a feeling of discontent among some farmers about B+LNZ's advocacy on a number of issues and the remits put up at this year's AGM are proof of this.
However, the voting results will show if this feeling is widespread among red meat farmers or just fanned by a bunch of malcontents who do not represent the majority.
B+LNZ levypayers need to remember, you get what you vote - or don't vote - for!
South Waikato farm manager Ben Purua’s amazing transformation from gang life to milking cows was rewarded with the Ahuwhenua Young Maori Farmer award last night.
Bankers have been making record profits in the last few years, but those aren’t the only records they’ve been breaking, says Federated Farmers vice president Richard McIntyre.
The 2023-24 season has been a roller coaster ride for Waikato dairy farmers, according to Federated Farmers dairy section chair, Mathew Zonderop.
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) director general Ray Smith says job cuts announced this morning will not impact the way the Ministry is organised or merge business units.
Scales Corporation is acquiring a number of orchard assets from Bostock Group.
Family and solidarity shone through at the 75 years of Ferdon sale in Otorohanga last month.
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