Make it 1000%!
OPINION: The appendage swinging contest between the US and China continues, with China hitting back with a new rate of 125% on the US, up from the 84% announced earlier.
OPINION: This old mutt understands a farmer had an 'interesting' experience when recently chosen by MBIE for a 'site visit' to audit their employment records.
The 'lucky' farmer informed MBIE - three times by email - that under the Covid red settings the farm was closed to all visitors and attached relevant information from the Government's own websites, which advised minimal contact and Zoom meetings if possible.
After much to-ing and fro-ing, MBIE finally agreed to conduct the investigation by phone.
The bureaucrat conducting the audit was told that all farm staff had Federated Farmers' contracts.
He then asked "Who is Federated Farmers?"
The farmer was then told to email said contracts to MBIE, but with each of these at over 100 pages, and rural internet flaky at the best of times, they were finally advised to post the agreements to Wellington.
Recent rain has offered respite for some from the ongoing drought.
New Zealand's TBfree programme has made great progress in reducing the impact of the disease on livestock herds, but there’s still a long way to go, according to Beef+Lamb NZ.
With much of the North Island experiencing drought this summer and climate change projected to bring drier and hotter conditions, securing New Zealand’s freshwater resilience is vital, according to state-owned GNS Science.
OPINION: Otago farmer and NZ First MP Mark Patterson is humble about the role that he’s played in mandating government agencies to use wool wherever possible in new and refurbished buildings.
For Wonky Box co-founder Angus Simms, the decision to open the service to those in rural areas is a personal one.
The golden age of orcharding in West Auckland was recently celebrated at the launch of a book which tells the story of its rise, then retreat in the face of industry change and urban expansion.
OPINION: The appendage swinging contest between the US and China continues, with China hitting back with a new rate of…
OPINION: The irony of President Trump’s tariff obsession is that the worst damage may be done to his own people.