Be afraid
OPINION: Your old mate hears some of the recent uptick in farmer confidence has slipped since the political polls started leading a bit to the left, away from the current coalition of National, Act and NZ First.
The trade deal saw our major primary sectors - red meat and dairy - get bugger-all nothing.
However, according to both Beef+Lamb and DairyNZ, one of the key reasons they sold out (sorry) 'negotiated' with the Government to put farmers, via He Waka Eke Noa, into an emissions scheme and having to pay carbon taxes, was because our trade partners - especially in Europe - are demanding it.
So not NZ dairy and red meat farmers are stuck with carbon taxes but still have no real access to EU markets.
Just imagine if the geniuses at Beef+Lamb and DairyNZ were hostage negotiators?
They'd end up paying the ransom and letting the terrorists shoot the hostages and still call it a win!
