Veg, no meat?
OPINION: Why do vegans and others opposed to eating meat try to convince others that a plant based diet is the best, when they themselves actively seek out veg-based products that taste like meat?
OPINION: Demand for red meat is booming, while it seems the heyday of plant-based protein is well past its 'best before' date.
Once lauded by wooden bicycle enthusiasts as some sort of environmental panacea, fake meat has since crashed headlong into the reality that most coonsumers don't want it.
Your old mate hears listed US vegan food producer Beyond Meat continues to deny media reports that it's headed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy - but where there's smoke, there's fire.
Masters of understatement, they attribute their struggles to "ongoing softness in the plant-based meat category".
It has struggled over recent years as customers reject ultra processed alternative proteins, resulting in a revenue slump and a net loss of US$30m this year.
So, once again, sandalwearer maths comes a gutser: fake meat is heavily processed, doesn't save the planet, and consumers don't want it!
Against all the odds, the primary sector has turned in a stellar performance with export returns for 2026 hitting $64.3 billion - up 6% on the previous year.
Farmers and growers are powering the economy with export revenue at record highs.
Forestry Minister Todd McClay has today congratulated the winners of the 2026 Growing Native Forests Champions Awards at Fieldays.
The Government has announced $60,000 to provide one-off grants of $1,000 to each of the 60 New Zealand Young Farmers (NZYF) clubs across the country.
New Zealand’s rural sector has once again demonstrated its generosity, with the second Rural Industry Leaders Dinner, Debate and Auction raising an impressive $400,000 for the Rural Support Trust.
There has been another twist to the Federated Farmers annual election fiasco.