Election Year Curse?
OPINION: The coalition Government seems to have chickened out when it comes to live animal exports by sea.
Your old mate has become increasingly frustrated by the ridiculous claims of animal fundamentalists at SAFE about live sheep shipment to Mexico; these are never challenged by mainstream media.
SAFE claimed sheep on the trip would suffer “stressful, terrifying weeks during a long journey and many, many 100s would die”. However, when it was revealed that fewer than 0.3% died on the voyage (lower than the average death rate on most farms), SAFE then claimed these deaths were due to “starvation”. But if starvation was the cause how do the animal extremists at SAFE account for the sheep gaining weight on average by 4kg per head during the trip? The Hound suggests the name SAFE should stand for ‘Say Anything For (media) Exposure!
Dougal Morrison has been elected as the new President of the New Zealand Farm Forestry Association (NZFFA).
Perrin Ag has appointed Vicky Ferris as its new Hawke's Bay consultant.
The New Zealand National Fieldays Society is encouraging teachers to register school groups for the 2026 National Fieldays, set to be held at Mystery Creek Events Centre from 10-13 June.
The appointment of Richard Allen as Fonterra's new chief executive signals execution, not strategy, according to agribusiness expert Dr Nic Lees.
Potatoes New Zealand has become much more than a grower body, according to Pukekohe grower Bharat Bhana.
The country's kiwifruit growers seem to have escaped much of the predicted wrath of Cyclone Vaianu which hit the east coast of the North Island this month.

OPINION: If you ask this old mutt, the choice at the next election isn't shaping up as a contest of…
OPINION: A mate of yours says we're long overdue for a reckoning on what value farmers really get for the…