Funding boost for red meat
Two major red meat sector projects are getting up to a combined $1.7 million in funding from the New Zealand Meat Board (NZMB).
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.
The country’s 4200 commercial fruit and vegetable growers will vote from May 14 on a new HortNZ levy.
Meat processor Alliance Group is asking farmer shareholders to inject more capital in order to remain a 100% co-operative.
A vet is calling for all animals to be vaccinated against a new strain of leptospirosis (lepto) discovered on New Zealand dairy farms in recent years.
Dairy
Rural banker Rabobank is partnering with Food Rescue Kitchen on a new TV series which airs this weekend that aims to shine a light on the real and growing issues of food waste, food poverty and social isolation in New Zealand.
Telco infrastructure provider Chorus says that it believes all Kiwis – particularly those in the rural areas – need access to high-speed, reliable broadband.
OPINION: The new government has clearly signalled big cuts across the public service.
OPINION: Your canine crusader is not surprised by the recent news that New Zealand plant-based ‘fake meat’ business is in…