Faking it
OPINION: Demand for red meat is booming, while it seems the heyday of plant-based protein is well past its 'best before' date.
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?
Things like ‘Not Bacon’, ‘Not Sausages’ etc - the list is long - are designed to mimic the flavour of meat and are popular with those who actively criticise meat eaters.
Yet the ‘not meat’ products they buy are a poor substitute for the real thing, judging by the failures of a number of manufacturers of this goop.
Clearly, some vegans claim to hate meat, yet in their hearts, they really long for a juicy T-bone steak. Or perhaps bacon. They say the smell of bacon is the ‘gateway drug’ – good enough to turn a half-hearted vegetarian back from the dark side!
The Government is set to announce two new acts to replace the contentious Resource Management Act (RMA) with the Prime Minister hinting that consents required by farmers could reduce by 46%.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says withdrawing from the Paris Agreement on climate change would be “a really dumb move”.
The University of Waikato has broken ground on its new medical school building.
Undoubtedly the doyen of rural culture, always with a wry smile, our favourite ginger ninja, Te Radar, in conjunction with his wife Ruth Spencer, has recently released an enchanting, yet educational read centred around rural New Zealand in one hundred objects.
Farmers are being urged to keep on top of measures to control Cysticerus ovis - or sheep measles - following a spike in infection rates.
The avocado industry is facing an extremely challenging season with all parts of the supply chain, especially growers, being warned to prepare for any eventuality.

OPINION: Your old mate welcomes the proposed changes to local government but notes it drew responses that ranged from the reasonable…
OPINION: A press release from the oxygen thieves running the hot air symposium on climate change, known as COP30, grabbed your…