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 […]
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Musings from the couch – a cautionary tale for other farmers
Federated Farmers Golden Bay Meat & Wool Chairperson Pax Leetch missed out on attending the National Council in Wellington earlier this year because he was couch-bound. We’re going to leave his story in his own words – a episode he re-told in the province’s newsletter with a view to inspiring other farmers to stay safe. […]
Horizons decision on Plan Change 2 brings certainty for farmers
Federated Farmers and DairyNZ are pleased the Horizons Regional Council has adopted the recommendations of the Independent Hearing Panel for Proposed Plan Change 2. “This gives some certainty for farmers who have been in limbo,” Federated Farmers National President and Manawatu dairy farmer Andrew Hoggard says. “Importantly, PC2 is an interim measure, intended to […]
Bee colony losses in winter continue to rise
A recently released survey reveals important findings about the winter colony loss rates of New Zealand bees and the experiences of New Zealand beekeepers, says Apiculture New Zealand. The New Zealand Colony Loss Survey is produced each year by Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research for the Ministry for Primary Industries. It is based on an online […]
Humble dung beetle potential game changer for landowners
Marlborough landowners and the Council will be as happy as dung beetles in muck if an ambitious programme to improve the region’s waterways achieves its objectives. The humble little critters themselves could also prove to be a game changer for Marlborough landowners, assisting in the quicker conversion of manure back to pasture. Did you know […]
Farmers seek fairer route to meeting road costs
by Rhea Dasent, Federated Farmers Senior Policy Advisor Federated Farmers members have highlighted to us a discrepancy between the high rates they pay towards roading, and the low level of service they receive. There is wide concern that their distance from main centres means their roads are low priority for maintenance and repair, yet they […]
Meat the Need and make a difference for hungry NZ families
Farmers grapple with all sorts of challenges on a daily basis but putting healthy food on the table is not usually one of them. But there are Kiwi families who struggle on that front, which is why Wayne Langford is keen to remind people about Meat the Need. Left: Wayne Langford, co-founder of Meat the […]
Farming and freshwater thriving together
Many people are aware of the importance of healthy eco-systems and freshwater on farms. What’s not so well known is that Fonterra and the Department of Conservation agreed in 2013 to set up ‘Living Water’ a 10-year partnership to trial tools and solutions to enable farming, freshwater and healthy ecosystems to thrive side-by-side. Both organisations […]
Horowhenua women share their stories
The Our Voices – Horowhenua exhibition currently on display at Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, Levin, during March uncovers the personal voice of twenty women living in the Horowhenua. Led by the social impact initiative Shepherdess, the project set out to create an opportunity for women across the Horowhenua District to tell their stories, through portraiture […]
Sika deer project to benefit hunting and conservation
The hunting sector is developing a proposal for a science-based management programme for sika deer in the Kaimanawa and Kaweka Forest Parks that will benefit both hunting and conservation. The proposed programme is led by the Central North Island Sika Foundation with support from the Game Animal Council, NZ Deerstalkers Association, Manaaki Whenua – Landcare […]