Department of Conservation – media release New research to test the use of repellents to help keep kea safe during predator control operations is underway near Arthur’s Pass in Canterbury. The Department of Conservation and OSPRI (TBfree) are funding the research, which will test the effectiveness of two bird repellents (d-pulegone and anthraquinone) in reducing […]
Local
Southland farmers getting winter grazing right
Winter is coming. For farmers, this of course means planning grazing arrangements to see livestock through the harsher months ahead. Southland Federated Farmers recently collaborated with Environment Southland assisting with winter crop inspections, and Southland Federated Farmers winter grazing spokesperson Jason Herrick was pleased to see a wealth of positive management practices displayed by farmers […]
Chemical recovery events planned for Canterbury farmers and growers
Media release – Agrecovery Canterbury farmers and growers are being urged to make use of a subsidised programme to return their unwanted or expired agrichemicals. Throughout June, Agrecovery will be running several chemical recovery events in the Canterbury region. With free or subsidised recovery and disposal of more than 3000 products, the programme provides the […]
Councils Keeping the Change
As we have discovered, there is a wide variation in how councils manage refunds; Some specify that deposits are non-refundable or reserve complete discretion, others charge fees and others withhold.
The mysterious case of the paddocks deemed ‘wetlands’
By E McGruddy, Senior Policy Adviser, FFNZ Some readers may have been on the receiving end of frightening letters from their regional council. It’s the letters that invite you to come to a meeting, you may wish to bring your lawyer with you, and be aware that if you’ve done what we think you’ve done, […]
Pulling out the stops on proposed drinking water rules
By Nigel Billings, Federated Farmers Senior Policy Advisor When the Water Services Bill first appeared in early 2021 alarm bells rang loudly at Federated Farmers. The Bill proposed that all suppliers of drinking water to domestic dwellings, excepting those that just supply themselves, would in future be classified and their water supply regulated. Suppliers would […]
Feds fights Rotorua bill that bypasses LGC’s fair representation ruling
Federated Farmers of New Zealand is joining the fray with the Rotorua-Taupo Feds province over a change that, if enacted, could set a very unfortunate precedent on local authority representation issues. The fight is also about ensuring the principle of one person one vote holds true. Many of the Federation’s 24 provinces will be familiar […]
I’m waiting by the phone…
We are very disappointed with the decision from the local body commission. Having lost the rural representation that has been the founding part of forming the Gisborne District Council. When the smaller councils amalgamated it was with the understanding that the dedicated rural voice would not be lost. Well, it has only taken 30 odd […]
Council uses rates dollars to fight its own residents
by Colin Guyton, President Federated Farmers Rotorua/Taupo Federated Farmers, along with many others in rural Rotorua, have pushed hard yet again for rural representation to be at the Rotorua Lakes Council table, being part of decision making and bringing our unique perspective to the outcomes. Sadly following the 2022 Representation Review arrangements, it is clear […]
Andrew wraps the week…
Andrew Hoggard with an update on He Waka Eke Noa. “We’ve been pushing for changes that we want to see, that we think make the farm level a better option than what it currently is. But it’s still too early to tell whether we’re going to get this thing in a good enough place that […]