Rural Vote Battle Heats Up as Parties Recruit High-Profile Farming Figures
The battle for the rural vote is on and parties are securing high profile names to try and bolster their chances at the general election.
OPINION: The latest travel receipts for MPs are in (April – June 2024).
Running the cutter, we have National on a total of $697,315 - an average of $13,946 for its 50 MPs.
Act spent a modest $103,536 for an average of $9,412 for 11 MPs. NZ First spent a total of $70,566 or $8,820 for eight MPs.
Labour averaged $21,156 for 35 MPs - a total of $740,481.
The Greens are usually big carbon emitters, and this year is no exception.
They spent no less than $284,780 for an average of $17,798 for 16 MPs. Te Pāti Māori spent $188,887 - the highest average of $31,481 for its six MPs.
Co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer easily burned the most jet fuel, spending $60,990 – a lot for an MP who is in Opposition and hates oil and gas exploration.
Mainland Poultry has confirmed new ownership of its vertically integrated agribusiness with Pacific Equity Partners Gateway (PEP Gateway) now joining current shareholders Navis.
The recently published State of the Industry -Tractors and Machinery 2025 from the Australian Tractor and Machinery Association (TMA), the equivalent of New Zealand’s TAMA, gives an interesting perspective of the industry.
Strong competition and tightening supply have seen wool reach its highest prices paid at auction since 2011.
The Government is funding a feasibility study to investigate what would be required for a successful farmer-led purchase of the McCain Foods' vegetable processing site in Hastings.
A young man just five years out of his Lincoln University degree already has his foot in the door of farm ownership, as equity manager of a large new dairy conversion now taking shape in Mid- Canterbury.
Visitors to the LIC stand at this year’s Fieldays can expect practical farm conversations, specialist drop-in sessions and exclusive shareholder events.

OPINION: The old saying 'a new broom sweeps clean' doesn't always hold up, if you ask the Hound.
OPINION: This old mutt went to school to eat his lunch, but still knows the future of the country, and…