Damien O’Connor Criticises Budget 2026 as ‘Miserable’ for Rural New Zealand
A miserable budget that didn’t deliver much for anyone.
OPINION: Your old mate reckons if you ever needed proof of just how little influence Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor has, just look at his inability to get a dispensation for much needed overseas machinery operators for agricultural contractors for this season.
Meanwhile, overseas-based, synthetic horse racetrack layers are deemed essential and have been allowed entry into NZ?
Could this have anything to do with a certain senior (in more than one sense of the word) cabinet minister’s passion for the gee-gees and bottom-line demands?
Meanwhile, the current Government has also allowed international America’s Cup sailors and even movie makers dispensation to come to NZ – but not agricultural contractors. It’s apparent that the current Government, and its friends, see more value in horse racing, sailing and movies than our vital agricultural sector.
Farmlands has reported higher operating earnings and a profit before income tax of $4.5 million, up 118.9%, for the year ended 30 June 2026.
AgriZeroNZ has invested a further NZ$17.7 million in methane vaccine developer ArkeaBio and NZ$5.1 million in BioLumic, a New Zealand-founded company that uses ultraviolet light to develop low-emissions pasture..
Good news for Fonterra farmers. The co-op has raised this season’s farmgate milk price mid-point by 25c to $9.75/kgMS.
OPINION: Political parties are getting plenty of advice and recommendations from sector groups as the election approaches.
In farming there are external factors that can influence behaviour of a whole herd, such as a bad weather event, triggering false positive heat detections or health attentions.
For Canterbury dairy farmer Cameron Henderson, supporting Meet the Need comes down to a simple question: how can the success of New Zealand farming benefit more than just those within the industry?