Tuesday, 11 April 2023 16:00

Timely reminder

Written by  The Hound

OPINION: The Hound reckons former Beef+Lamb NZ chair Andrew Morrison's fate in losing his seat in recent levypayer elections should be a big lesson to other levy organisation leaders.

There is no doubt Morrison was a passionate and committed member of BLNZ.

However, rightly or wrongly, he was associated with the lack of pushback and perceived willingness to acquiesce by both BLNZ and DairyNZ to the Government on issues such as climate change and imposed on-farm regulations.

Morrison will now have more time on farm to contemplate how - and if - he could have done things better.

Meanwhile, it is a timely lesson for all farming levy body leaders to take more seriously the concerns of their levy paying stakeholders - especially DairyNZ chair, Jim van der Poel, who will be looking at the date his seat is up for re-election and possibly contemplating early retirement.

More like this

Ruth reckons

OPINION: Ruth Richardson, architect of the 1991 ‘Mother of all Budgets’ and the economic reforms dubbed ‘Ruthanasia’, added her two cents to the Treaty Principles Bill with a submission that essentially says it’s time to “have the sovereign authority” define the principles of the Treaty “by design” rather than continue to let them be defined “by accident” by unaccountable institutions like activists in the Courts, the Waitangi Tribunal and officialdom.

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?

Who's the glutton?

OPINION: We are told there is a wine glut - production outstripping demand worldwide - and the words 'wine lakes' are being thrown around.

Colonial science?

OPINION: Science funding for the bulwark of the nation, agriculture, is in a parlous state and less taxpayer money is shelled out for it every year.

Times have changed

OPINION: Back in the 1960s and '70s, and even into the '80s, successive National government Agriculture Ministers and Trade Ministers were at the top of the cabinet rankings.

Featured

Fruit fly discovery 'concerning'

Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ) says that discovery of a male Oriental fruit fly on Auckland’s North Shore is a cause for concern for growers.

Fonterra updates earnings

Fonterra says its earnings for the 2025 financial year are anticipated to be in the upper half of its previously forecast earnings range of 40-60 cents per share.

Nedap NZ launch

Livestock management tech company Nedap has launched Nedap New Zealand.

National

FE survey underway

Beef + Lamb NZ wants farmers to complete a survey that will shed light on the financial toll of facial…

Top dairy CEO quits

Arguably one of the country's top dairy company's chief executives, Richard Wyeth has abruptly quit Chinese owned Westland Milk Products…

Machinery & Products

New home for JCB Agriculture

Power Farming has announced a new chapter in its partnership with JCB, which having represented the UK-based company’s construction equipment…

CAT's 100th anniversary

While instantly recognised as the major player in construction equipment, Caterpillar Inc, more commonly known as CAT, has its roots…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Ruth reckons

OPINION: Ruth Richardson, architect of the 1991 ‘Mother of all Budgets’ and the economic reforms dubbed ‘Ruthanasia’, added her two…

Veg, no meat?

OPINION: Why do vegans and others opposed to eating meat try to convince others that a plant based diet is…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter