Select committee 'blew it' - Feds
Sheep and beef farmers are urging the Government to do more to stop productive farmland overrun by pine trees.
OPINION: Your old mate suggests the demise of former Beef+Lamb NZ chair Andrew Morrison has done little to change that organisation’s poor understanding about how its farmers are really feeling.
According to new B+LNZ chair Kate Acland, its recent round of farmer feedback sessions – which media were banned from attending – allowed it to outline the “benefits it’s delivering farmer levypayers”.
She added that it was “disappointing” to hear that many farmers “question the value and purpose of B+LNZ”.
Acland claimed the answer was “better communication” from the levy-funded organisation to farmers about what it does on behalf of farmers.
The new B+LNZ chair will be hoping that farmer sentiment towards her organisation picks up soon or she and her fellow directors will find themselves in the same boat as the old Wool Board and voted out of existence at the next levy referendum.
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.