Peters Targets Fonterra
OPINION: Get offside with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters at your own peril.
Your old mate notes that NZ First leader Winston Peters, was not red-necked or stupid enough to ask some really dumb questions about the proposal of Hong-Kong-based He Run Ltd to set up a new dairy processing factory in Otorohanga.
Instead, it was left up to silly old Barbara Stewart, who this old mutt reckons would be out of her depth serving tea in the parliamentary cafeteria, to make a fool of herself. Firstly Stewart claimed foreign dairy companies in NZ like Oceania, Synlait Yili and Yashilia were all bad for the sector (ask those companies’ suppliers). Your mate reckons this proves that the depth of talent in NZ First’s ranks is only puddle thin.
Farmgate lamb prices are down by 8%, beef cattle by 4.5% and farm expenditure up by 4.2%.
Kiwifruit growers are watchful but remain optimistic as concerns around the potential effects of the El Niño weather pattern this season.
Almond hulls sourced from Australian orchards may have the potential to help New Zealand cows reduce emissions, boost milk yield and lower input costs.
Striking a balance between meeting the needs of industry to speed up approval time for products but on the other hand ensuring that risks are properly assessed.
Surprised, humbled and quite thrilled. That’s the reaction of James Allen, one of the founding partners and now chief executive of AgFirst, on being made a life member of the Institute of Rural Professionals.