DairyNZ Sets Out Election Priorities for Dairy Farmers
Election years are always a concerning time for farmers, according to DairyNZ chair Tracy Brown.
The Hound notes that despite the new government having been elected for well over a month, there seems to a real lack of urgency on its behalf.
A clear case in point is the stone-walling and delay – from both government ministers and officials – over the desperate need to allow more migrant workers into the country to harvest fruit and vegetables.
Meanwhile, the Shearing Contractors Association is still looking for an urgent decision to allow experienced sheep shearers into the country – despite having been in talks with the government since the start of lockdown.
The association says, initially, it applied for 200 shearers to fill gaps in the local workforce, but that has been scaled back to 60 – but they are still waiting for a decision.
Perhaps they should have said the shearers were movie industry workers or America’s Cup sailors and they would have had more luck!
When Northland leather worker Vernon Suckling started making horse saddles 50 years ago, quad bikes and side-by-side vehicles were unheard of.
Alliance Group has confirmed that eligible farmer-shareholders who supply and continue to back the business will receive up to $20 million later this year, following the strategic investment partnership with Dawn Meats.
With a general election under five weeks away, Rural News is asking major political parties about their policies and positions on key issues facing the primary sector. We will run their responses to each question over the next four weeks. The ACT Party and the Greens didn't respond in time.
The red meat sector is in great heart.
Dr Scott Champion, Foundation for Arable Research chief executive, says that everyone in the supply chain had a role to play in driving the sector's long-term success.
Entries opened on Monday, 5 October 2026 for the 2027 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards (NZDIA), which organisers describe as the nation's biggest celebration of excellence in the dairy sector.

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