Green no more?
OPINION: Your old mate has long dismissed the Greens as wooden bicycle enthusiasts with their heads in the clouds, but it looks like the ‘new Greens’ may actually be hard-nosed pragmatists when it comes to following voters.
The Hound knows that the Greens hate farming about as much as they hate cars.
So your old mutt was intrigued to see that the tree-huggers’ latest wunderkind – and possible replacement for co-leader – James Shaw has lodged numerous written parliamentary questions about Hawkes Bay agribusiness consultancy Brownrigg Agriculture Ltd. Shaw has written to the ministers for trade, economic development, foreign affairs and primary industries demanding to know what deals and contracts have been awarded to Brownrigg Agriculture and questioning the relationship between said government departments and the Hawkes Bay firm. The question has to be asked, why are Shaw and the Greens so interested in Brownrigg’s business? Watch this space.
Fonterra’s impending exit from the Australian dairy industry is a major event but the story doesn’t change too much for farmers.
Expect greater collaboration between Massey University’s school of Agriculture and Environment and Ireland’s leading agriculture university, the University College of Dublin (UCD), in the future.
A partnership between Torere Macadamias Ltd and the Riddet Institute aims to unlock value from macadamia nuts while growing the next generation of Māori agribusiness researchers.
A new partnership between Dairy Women’s Network (DWN) and NZAgbiz aims to make evidence-based calf rearing practices accessible to all farm teams.
Despite some trying circumstances recently, the cherry season looks set to emerge on top of things.
Changed logos on shirts otherwise it will be business as usual when Fonterra’s consumer and related businesses are expected to change hands next month.

OPINION: Here w go: the election date is set for November 7 and the politicians are out of the gate…
OPINION: ECan data was released a few days ago showing Canterbury farmers have made “giant strides on environmental performance”.