From the Forest Owners Association The Forest Owners Association says the just announced creation of Te Uru Rākau – New Zealand Forest Service heralds the potential to fix vital bottlenecks in the initial stages of the forest industry supply chain and drive further timber processing downstream as well. The Association says the Minister of Forests, […]
Economic Week – April 30
by Nick Clark, Federated Farmers Manager General Policy Imports on the rise Despite a fall in petroleum imports, overall imports rose sharply to the highest ever for a March month while exports continued to slip. Statistics NZ’s Overseas Merchandise Trade statistics showed goods imports worth $5.65 billion in March 2021, up 11.0% compared to March […]
Thank a farmer this opening weekend
Federated Farmers wants duck hunters heading out for the season opening this weekend to enjoy themselves and to remember to thank the many farmers who provide access to their shooting spots. The ‘Opening Day’ of the duck-shooting season is a special event in rural New Zealand, with 40,000 annual participants getting ready to head out […]
Economic Week – April 23
by Nick Clark, Manager General Policy Inflation edges up, more to come As expected, inflation picked up in the March quarter, with the Consumer Price Index 0.8% higher than the December quarter, taking the annual rate up slightly to 1.5%. Transport was the main upward driver, rising 3.9% in the quarter, influenced by a 4.9% […]
Farming myth buster: Livestock numbers and emissions
by Gavin Forrest, Federated Farmers GM Policy & Advocacy From time to time , and far too often, alternative facts gain traction that are both inaccurate and unhelpful to the farming sector. One such myth is that the claim that the recent Climate Change Report called for a 15% drop in livestock numbers. This is […]
Rural communities left out in health reform announcement
The New Zealand Rural General Practice Network is disappointed at the lack of specific reference to the needs of rural communities in the health sector reform announcements by the the Minister of Health yesterday. The changes focus on improved primary and community healthcare and a simplified national structure to ensure fairer access to healthcare for […]
2021 Future Farmers intake grows to 60
by Sue Meade, HR Manager, Growing Future Farmers When most people win awards they sit back and enjoy a job well done . . . when Federated Farmers members Tam and Dan Jex-Blake won a training award in 2016, they realised there was so much more they could do to help the agricultural sector. True […]
Huge solar farm leaves room for livestock
The term ‘solar farm’ may be about to take on a new meaning in New Zealand, with a proposal to fill 20.5 hectares of farmland with panels, and continue livestock grazing and arable growing underneath. Lodestone Energy Ltd (LEL) has applied to the Far North District Council and Northland Regional Council to establish a 39.4 […]
Taihape farmers mount serious assault on Old Man’s Beard
The invasive climber Old Man’s Beard has been given more than just a trim in the Pukeokahu district near Taihape. With nine local farmers at the forefront, serious infestations of the pest plant are now in full retreat. Former Federated Farmers Manawatu-Rangitikei executive member Fraser Gordon says it was about six years ago that the […]
Hay you! Will you help Riding for the Disabled’s Haystack Challenge?
Horses need to eat 1.5% to 3% of their body weight every day, depending on their workload and metabolism. If they aren’t foraging much grass, that can mean five or six kilograms of hay a day for an adult horse. It’s not hard to work out that NZ Riding for the Disabled, which has more […]