NZ's handbrake
OPINION: Your old mate gets the sinking feeling that no matter who we vote into power in the hope they will reverse the terminal slide the country is in, there will always be a cohort of naysayers determined to hold us back.
OPINION: This old mutt is getting somewhat tired of multi-national, tax-dodging, fund-raising group Greenpeace always given front and centre mainstream media space to coment (i.e. bag) NZ agriculture.
Without fail, its 'agricultural campaigner's' magic 'answer' to NZ's complex and complicated agricultural emissions issue is to slaughter at least half of the country's dairy herd, convert all farming to wacky regen ag and stop the use of all fertilisers - without any comment about what this would do to the nation's economy.
She also falsely claims that farmers are not paying any ETS costs - wilfully omitting that NZ farmers are big users of fuel and electricity and therefore are paying carbon taxes.
Meanwhile, the sector - via HWEN - will soon be paying $400 million annually - so no free ride for farmers.
Academic Dr Mike Joy and his employer, Victoria University of Wellington have apologised for his comments suggesting that dairy industry CEOs should be hanged for contributing towards nitrate poisoning of waterways.
Environment Southland's catchment improvement funding is once again available for innovative landowners in need of a boost to get their project going.
The team meeting at the Culverden Hotel was relaxed and open, despite being in the middle of calving when stress levels are at peak levels, especially in bitterly cold and wet conditions like today.
A comment by outspoken academic Dr Mike Joy suggesting that dairy industry leaders should be hanged for nitrate contamination of drinking/groundwater has enraged farmers.
OPINION: The phasing out of copper network from communications is understandable.
Driven by a lifelong passion for animals, Amy Toughey's journey from juggling three jobs with full-time study to working on cutting-edge dairy research trials shows what happens when hard work meets opportunity - and she's only just getting started.