By Rebecca Flannery Sheep and cattle from isolated parts of the Marlborough Sounds are getting a sea cruise as part of an innovative solution to road damage. Heavy rainfall in July took a massive toll on roads, with access to some parts of the Sounds cut off. There were more than 100 slips and unstable […]
Community
Emma boots up to get others to Outward Bound
It’s challenging enough to tackle your first marathon. But to run it in gumboots and milking shed overalls?! Nineteen-year-old Emma Blom just takes all the raised eyebrows and ‘you’re crazy’ comments in her stride. “I wanted to do something a bit different,” she says, “and also to make a difference”. The ‘making a difference’ bit […]
Feds to work with Taumata Arowai as water supply exemption refused
With the Water Services Bill passing its third reading on September 28 without an exemption for small suppliers, Federated Farmers is now focusing on the Minister’s undertakings around making the processes simple, cost-effective and practical. “Federated Farmers is deeply disappointed that the strong case for a carve-out from the new regulations for those supplying water […]
Building a case for self-isolation on farm
By Simon Edwards What happens if a sole-charge farmer or farm/herd manager tests positive for COVID-19? That question became very real with the recent surge of the disease in Auckland and the subsequent spread of cases to the Waikato. An industry working group that includes Federated Farmers representation has been putting together a case for […]
There’s life in the old dog yet
Man’s best friend has been a trusted and long-time employee on the farm since humans woke up and realised how smart dogs are. But it doesn’t have to be the end of a happy life when they get too old, have had a career-ending injury or just won’t quite make the cut. This was the […]
Feds asks farmers to get vaccinated
Federated Farmers is calling on farmers and growers to remember the critical link between vaccination rates and maintaining growth in the New Zealand economy. Federated Farmers president Andrew Hoggard says Feds has taken a little bit of stick from a handful of members about the organsiation’s promotion of the need for as many people as possible to get vaccinated. “We got told to ‘stay in our lane’ and to stop […]
Sunsmart farming, is smart farming
Federated Farmers is throwing its support behind the Melanoma New Zealand campaign to save farmers’ lives from skin cancer. The annual campaign for this year ‘Get Spotted’ has just wrapped up, but the Melanoma New Zealand quest to see zero lives lost in New Zealand from melanoma goes on. Federated Farmers vice president and Wairarapa […]
New water regime is overkill for small rural suppliers
By Rhea Dasent, Federated Farmers Regional Policy Advisor I’m disappointed that the Water Services Bill has passed its third reading in parliament with no exemption for small rural suppliers, despite Federated Farmers’ best efforts. At first it appeared to be an oversight that a farm water supply like my family’s was captured by a Bill […]
Sunsmart farming, is smart farming
Federated Farmers wants to remind farmers and growers this is a good time to be thinking about getting “sunsmart” for summer. More than 4000 people are diagnosed with melanoma every year, accounting for 80% of skin cancer deaths in New Zealand. It has been estimated up to 25% of farmers and growers have had a […]
Water entity concerns run too deep to just press ahead
Federated Farmers joins the many council elected representatives and citizens up and down the country urging the government to go back to the drawing board on reform of three waters delivery. “While it’s clear that billions of dollars of investment are needed to get drinking water, stormwater and sewerage infrastructure up to scratch, there are […]