Top wool advocate bales out
The conversion of productive farmland into trees has pretty much annihilated the wool industry.
OPINION: This old mutt still struggles to understand the absolute disaster that strong wool has become over the past 30 years or so.
He's been around a while now, back when the old Wool Board existed, and seen the many machinations that entity evolved into until it was finally disbanded.
Nothing better illustrates the ongoing, slow death of this once magnificent industry than current prices.
A mate of the Hound's recently received a gross valuation for 38 bales of his crossbred fleece - at an average weight of 181kg each - of just over $6,200, which still had handling fees and other costs to be charged of around 18 cents/kg or around $1,200.
This means he will net around $5,000.
However, the problem is it cost him $16,000 to shear the sheep!
No wonder farmers are turning to self-shedding sheep as we are witnessing the death of crossbred wool sheep farming in this country!
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.

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