Be afraid
OPINION: Your old mate hears some of the recent uptick in farmer confidence has slipped since the political polls started leading a bit to the left, away from the current coalition of National, Act and NZ First.
OPINION: Making it easier to get things done while protecting the environment - that's the Government's promise when it comes to the overhaul of the problematic Resource Management Act (RMA).
New planning and environment laws that protect property rights and improve productivity, while reducing red tape and compliance costs for farmers, are coming.
However, at this stage, the farming sector is giving only qualified support to the reforms. For many farmers the devil could be in the detail.
The RMA has become a political football. The last Labour Government passed its own replacement legislation, only for the National-led coalition Government to repeal it shortly after. The country has now reverted to the original 1991 law with National proposing to replace the RMA with two new pieces of legislation: a Natural Environment Act - focused on managing the natural environment, and a Planning Act - focused on planning to enable development and infrastructure.
The Government is signalling a radical transition to a far more liberal planning system with less red tape, premised on the enjoyment of property rights.
But for red meat farmers, the idea of mechanisms such as allocation of tradeable rights to individual farms, or cap and trade systems, as a way of addressing water quality issues isn't a good one. They claim these mechanisms will be expensive, complex and unworkable.
B+LNZ points out that overseas examples have shown market-based models can lead to unintended consequences, driving further intensification of already intensive systems at the expense of extensive farming systems. This may leave stranded land assets or further afforestation in our hill country.
Then there are concerns around proposed changes to fines which could see a significant increase in what farmers could be fined for, regardless of whether any failings were intentional or not.
Concerns around water quality regulations are being raised by dairy farmers. DairyNZ opposes putting a 'number' on freshwater contaminants because of the complexity of the contaminants and the freshwater systems in each catchment.
Federated Farmers thinks the Government has delivered a pragmatic and common-sense plan that will put respect for property rights front and centre.
Farmers want clarity and are telling the Government that they want enduring policies that provide long-term certainty for farmers.
Managing director of Woolover Ltd, David Brown, has put a lot of effort into verifying what seems intuitive, that keeping newborn stock's core temperature stable pays dividends by helping them realise their full genetic potential.
Within the next 10 years, New Zealand agriculture will need to manage its largest-ever intergenerational transfer of wealth, conservatively valued at $150 billion in farming assets.
Boutique Waikato cheese producer Meyer Cheese is investing in a new $3.5 million facility, designed to boost capacity and enhance the company's sustainability credentials.
OPINION: The Government's decision to rule out changes to Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) that would cost every farmer thousands of dollars annually, is sensible.
Compensation assistance for farmers impacted by Mycoplama bovis is being wound up.
Selecting the reverse gear quicker than a lovestruck boyfriend who has met the in-laws for the first time, the Coalition Government has confirmed that the proposal to amend Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) charged against farm utes has been canned.
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