Consent Rollovers and $13b Savings: What the new RMA bills could mean
There was much theatre in the Beehive before the Government's new Resource Management Act (RMA) reform bills were introduced into Parliament last week.
OPINION: Your canine crusader notes that the new parliament will have a fresh array of new MPs from farming backgrounds taking up seats in the nation's capital.
The Nats have the likes of Miles Anderson, Mike Butterick, Suze Redmayne and Grant McCullum joining their ranks.
Meanwhile, ACT sees the addition of former Feds president Andrew Hoggard to their caucus and NZ First sees the return of Mark Patterson.
Many of these MPs have close ties to Federated Farmers, including the aforementioned Hoggard, Anderson and Butterick from National and NZ First's Patterson.
That should make a nice change for the farmer lobby in having a few friends and ex-colleagues in the halls of power.
Additional reductions to costs for forest owners in the Emissions Trading Scheme Registry (ETS) have been announced by the Government.
Animal welfare is of paramount importance to New Zealand's dairy industry, with consumers increasingly interested in how food is produced, not just the quality of the final product.
Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay is encouraging farmers and growers to stay up to date with weather warnings and seek support should they need it.
The closure of SH2 Waioweka Gorge could result in significant delays and additional costs for freight customers around the Upper North Island, says Transporting New Zealand.
OPINION: The year has started positively for New Zealand dairy farmers and things are likely to get better.
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) Director General Ray Smith believes there is potential for an increase in dairy farming in New Zealand.

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