Before Federated Farmers farewells 2020, it wants to salute and thank some generally unsung heroes. “We all got used to talking about clusters of infection with Covid-19, but in another sense that word cluster is somewhat apt for the entire year,” Feds President Andrew Hoggard says. “It could have been a lot worse for our […]
Health and Wellness
Stalled boarding allowance a barrier to equitable education access
Federated Farmers intends ramping up political pressure for a long overdue increase to the school access barrier boarding allowance. This follows a Feds’ survey of farming families which revealed substantial costs and family disruption from the access barrier board allowance being totally outstripped by the fees that boarding schools charge. Average state boarding school fees […]
Bare-all calendar raises spirits – and funds
In a time when Hawke’s Bay farmers were experiencing a drought like no other since the 1980s as well as dealing with the consequences of COVID19, Poppy Renton wanted to reach out and foster a dose of community spirit. The daughter of a fifth generation Hawke’s Bay farmer working the land at Maraekakaho, west of […]
Compelling case for glyphosate use – with care
A year studying glyphosate here and overseas on a Nuffield Scholarship has convinced Mid Canterbury arable farmer Hamish Marr it is a vital tool in agriculture. But it comes with responsibilities, and if farmers and growers are arrogant about its use, they risk losing it through political pressure. Can we farm without glyphosate? Of course […]
Bernadette Hunt wins PINZ Leadership award
Two major pieces of legislation have kicked Southland this year…. fresh water & winter grazing legislation. Both rules created havoc in Southland….in the middle of it all was Southland farmer and Federated Farmers vice president Bernadette Hunt. A tough year all around, yet at the Primary Industries awards event Bernadette Hunt vice president of Southland […]
Nurse Practitioner wins Peter Snow Memorial Award
South Canterbury Mātanga Tapuhi (Nurse Practitioner) Tania Kemp (Ngā Māhanga A Tairi, affiliation with Ngāti Mutunga O Wharekauri) has been announced as the 2020 recipient of the Peter Snow Memorial Award. The award was announced at the New Zealand Rural General Practice Network AGM on Saturday. The Peter Snow Memorial Award honours the life and […]
Staff shortages are undermining safety, mental wellbeing
Skilled staff shortages are not only taking a toll on productivity but also farmer mental wellbeing, Federated Farmers Dairy Chair and rural health spokesperson Wayne Langford says. “Farmers across New Zealand are having to push the limits to get silage/baleage cut, with many crops in the South Island being harvested when it’s wet. “With variable […]