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OPINION: The Hound understands that there is a fair bit of consternation and nerves among the big farming lobby groups - namely Feds, Beef+Lamb and DairyNZ - that they are 'losing the room' in terms of farmer support.
These groups have copped a lot of flak from their levypayers for being 'too cosy' with the Government and not pushing back hard enough on policies like greenhouse gas, water and other proposed reforms.
This is particularly worrisome for Beef+Lamb, which is facing a levy vote later this year.
Things have got so bad that Groundswell NZ recently came out and denied it was not trying to undermine the farming levy collecting industry bodies.
Groundswell spokesman Bryce McKenzie warned farmers that, "if levy votes are lost, it could be quite damaging to farming."
However, he did go on to emphasise that the farming sector needed "one, strong, united voice".
A major, three-year research project is underway in Taranaki to see what can be done to practically reduce the environmental footprint of dairy farmers and, above all, ensure that farms remain profitable. Reporter Peter Burke looks at the initiative and how it's progressing.
DairyNZ regional leader in Bay of Plenty Andrew Reid is moving on to a new role.
The UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement (FTA), agreed to by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison this week, represents a useful yardstick for New Zealand negotiations, say leaders in the red meat sector.
Along with several other organisations, Beef+Lamb NZ helped fund the catch crops for reduced nitrate leaching project. Sown as soon as possible after grazing has finished, catch crops have been the subject of a Sustainable Farming Fund project led by Peter Carey from Lincoln Agritech, with support from Brendon Malcolm and Shane Maley from Plant and Food Research and AgResearch.
OPINION: A mate of this old mutt's almost choked on his dog tucker when he came across the musings of former NZ First MP and newly elected Otago Feds chair Mark Patterson.
OPINION: A mate of this old mutt's almost choked on his dog tucker when he came across the musings of…
OPINION: Your canine crusader hears that not all is rosy in the world of supposed rural sector congeniality.
