Half A Brain
OPINION: When Donald Trump returned to the White House, many people with half a brain could see the results for the world might be a bit average, and our boy has been busy trying to prove them right.
OPINION: If the hand-wringing, cravat and bow-tie wearing commentariat of a left-leaning persuasion had any influence on global markets, we'd be in a full-blown crash by now, what with the pessimistic wailing about the recent political 'reshuffle' in Venezuela - orchestrated by the US Administration Arm and executed, quite efficiently, by the US Guns & Choppers Division.
The Hound offers no opinion on whether or not this should have happened, but merely observes that, despite it raining lefty tears of sorrow, the sky did not in fact fall because a South American dictator was deposed without ceremony.
Grain markets rose, Asian equities surged, the Dow Jones, S&P 500 and Nasdaq were all up.
While there was some brief "haven-related hedging activity" boosting gold, overall risk appetite reportedly remains intact.
Perhaps not surprisingly, oil company stocks were among the upside leaders.
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson says his party – NZ First - isn’t opposed to the “trade element” of a free trade deal with India.
The managing director of a company seeking to build a solar farm in Canterbury says receiving fast-track approval is a “really positive outcome”.
Retiring MP and dairy farmer Mark Cameron is blasting the Green Party for proposing to ban the use of synthetic fertiliser and cutting cow numbers.
A huge reduction in ACC claims from on-farm accidents over the last five years is due to thousands of small, practical decisions being made in sheds, yards, paddocks and around kitchen tables across the country, says Safer Farms ambassador Lindy Nelson.
Wayne and Ange Moxham of Horowhenua have just been named as Fonterra's top organic performer for milksolids. As well as providing organic milk to Fonterra, the couple also sell Udderly Organic milk to more than 100 outlets in the region and are embarking on another exciting venture producing organic gelato. Reporter Peter Burke went along to see their farming operation.
Certainty and a clear understanding of the needs of rural communities is a critical outcome in the series of government reforms that are taking place at present.

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