A Massey University lecturer and design expert is focusing attention on the importance of preserving New Zealand’s most historic, colourful and community-oriented woolsheds. Federated Farmers is helping Dr Annette O’Sullivan raise the $30,000 she needs to complete her book. Annette says she feels a sense of urgency to getting the book completed, as so many […]
National
Feds advocacy dilutes drinking water regulation over-reach
Simon Edwards It’s still “regulatory over-reach” but new rules covering tens of thousands of small-scale rural water supplies are in a much better place than when first proposed. That’s the summary from Nigel Billings, who along with another Federated Farmers Senior Policy Advisor Rhea Dasent has spearheaded the organisation’s fightback against regulations for drinking water […]
Compliance lightened, chlorination requirement gone, for small rural water supplies
by Simon Edwards As news of the expense and compliance burden of proposed new drinking water supply regulations filtered through to rural communities last year, thousands of farmers (not to mention marae trustees and other small-scale suppliers) were up in arms. “This was a very annoying piece of legislation,” Federated Farmers Senior Policy Advisor Nigel […]
Integrated forestry an opportunity for sheep and beef sector
by Hamish Barwick Rather than blanket the countryside with pine forests to offset carbon emissions, Federated Farmers and Beef + Lamb NZ are calling for integrated forestry plantings on sheep and beef farms. Including forestry areas on sheep and beef farms would provide a range of benefits, such as shelter for livestock, improving biodiversity outcomes […]
Just like our American state fairs….
Celia Lemhouse is a politics undergraduate from Oregon State University who also has a farming background. She’s interning with the communications and policy sections of Federated Farmers for 12 weeks, so we decided to send her along to a traditional Kiwi A& P show for her impressions… The Canterbury A&P show definitely reminded me of […]
Sharemilkers – Protecting your three key assets
By Aaron Passey Sharemilking has been a cornerstone of the New Zealand dairy industry for over a century and the life of a sharemilker very likely will have its ups and downs. Making sure you have the right insurance cover in place can smooth out some of those bumps, especially when it comes to protecting […]
New guides underline biosecurity issues for ‘top table’
By Simon Edwards Two new resources from Biosecurity Business Pledge target the ‘top table’ at New Zealand’s companies and organisations, offering them a checklist of actions to help ensure they’re doing their bit to keep unwanted pests and organisms from reaching our shores. The significance of biosecurity to our economy and the business community is […]
One man’s search for better satellite broadband
Lyndsey Thompson was so impressed with what Brdy offered, he’s now their Channel Business Development Manager…. After taking two years to build our new home through the isolations and border controls of COVID, we finally moved into Northland in July 2021. The timing was fortunate as we were then placed back into isolation and the […]
Dairy has become ‘scape cow’ for climate problems
Farmers sometimes struggle to get their points across on pricing agricultural emissions and ‘leakage’ but Whangarei High School Year 9 student Nicky Wellwood gets it. This is the speech she recently gave at a school event…. I’m here today to talk to you about a very serious issue affecting climate change, stemming from New Zealand….rugby. […]
Landowner covenant willingness is outpacing QEII Trust resources
By Simon Edwards An 8.9 hectare forest on Toby and Charlotte McDonald’s farm in the Wairarapa recently became the 5000th area to be protected under an Open Space Covenant in partnership with the QEII National Trust. The McDonald family call it ‘The Gorge’ – modified primary forest and a stream system that feeds into Wainuioru […]