Strange bedfellows
OPINION: Two types of grifters have used the sale of Fonterra's consumer brands as a platform to push their own agendas - under the guise of 'caring about the country'.
OPINON: In the latest hysterical press release from Greenpeace, the sandal wearers have unleashed their worst conspiracy theorist tendencies, ranting about “Big Tobacco, Big Oil” and now “Big Meat and Dairy”.
They claim to have ‘proof’ about “Fonterra’s role in derailing climate action”.
The ‘big smoking gun’ is a report from Netherlands-based NGO ‘Changing Markets Foundation’.
However, this NGO is hardly impartial or independent.
Its founders are Joakim Bergman, a professional greenie who spent a big chunk of his career in senior roles for Greenpeace, and Paul Gilding, former “global CEO of Greenpeace”.
And its website is awash with juvenile claims that farmer-led protests around the world, similar to Groundswell, are part of “a transnational far-right movement”.
Additional tariffs introduced by the Chinese Government last month on beef imports should favour New Zealand farmers and exporters.
Primary sector leaders have praised the government and its officials for putting the Indian free trade deal together in just nine months.
Primary sector leaders have welcomed the announcement of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and New Zealand.
Dairy farmers are still in a good place despite volatile global milk prices.
Legal controls on the movement of fruits and vegetables are now in place in Auckland’s Mt Roskill suburb, says Biosecurity New Zealand Commissioner North Mike Inglis.
Arable growers worried that some weeds in their crops may have developed herbicide resistance can now get the suspected plants tested for free.

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