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 […]
Meat
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 […]
Economic Week April 16
by Nick Clark, Federated Farmers Manager General Policy Monetary policy unchanged The Reserve Bank has kept monetary policy settings unchanged at this week’s review, keeping in place its big stimulus. The OCR was kept on hold at 0.25% while the Large Scale Asset Purchase Programme and Funding for Lending Programme were both unchanged. In its […]
Federated Farmers sees MIQ opportunity for agriculture
Federated Farmers hopes that the Government will take the opportunity of newly available space in MIQ quarantine to bring much-needed workers for the primary industries into New Zealand. COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins estimates that the Australian quarantine-free travel bubble will free up 1000 to 1300 beds in MIQ a fortnight. “MIQ spacing has been […]
Economic Week – April 1
by Nick Clark, Manager General Policy Feds urges fiscal responsibility On Wednesday Federated Farmers presented its submission on the Budget Policy Statement to Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee. Read here to see what National President Andrew Hoggard told the Select Committee but the gist of it is that he urged caution on any spending spree […]
Red meat sector’s resilience highlighted in B+LNZ’s latest update
Media Release from Beef+Lamb NZ Following a challenging year with COVID-19 disruptions and drought, Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s (B+LNZ) Mid-Season Update 2020-21 highlights the resilience and adaptability of New Zealand’s red meat sector as solid market fundamentals continue to support global demand. Although the outlook predicts that the sector will continue to be challenged […]
Help for farmers to know their greenhouse gas numbers
A new guide and tools have been released to help farmers with measuring, managing, and reducing agricultural greenhouse gases. He Waka Eke Noa: The Primary Sector Climate Action Partnership has developed two information sources to help industry bodies and farmers understand their agricultural greenhouse gas emissions: Greenhouse Gases: Farm Planning Guidance, and The Greenhouse Gases […]
Linda and Evan Potter named National Ambassadors for Sustainable Farming and Growing
Federated Farmers members Evan and Linda Potter, of Central Hawke’s Bay hill country property, Waipapa, (sheep, beef and deer) are the new National Ambassadors for Sustainable Farming and Growing and the recipients of the Gordon Stephenson Trophy. The announcement was made on Thursday at the National Sustainability Showcase at Te Papa in Wellington, attended by all of […]
White paper sets out pressing regenerative agriculture research priorities
A new white paper says there is significant overlap on the continuum of practices between mainstream and regenerative agriculture. Among its conclusions is that there is a pressing need for scientific testing of the limited evidence and anecdotal claims being made by regenerative agriculture practitioners and proponents. Lead author Dr Gwen Grelet, a senior researcher […]
Independent M.bovis review is opportunity for learning
Federated Farmers is pleased the government is committed to finding out what more can be learnt from the country’s handling of the biosecurity response to Mycoplasma bovis. The Ministry for Primary Industries announced today it will conduct an independent review into the M. bovis response. The disease was first detected in New Zealand in 2017 […]