NIWA is underway with work on better understanding communities’ aspirations for protecting estuaries, and the factors that weigh on estuarine health. Estuaries are coastal waterbodies where freshwater mixes with seawater. Many estuaries in Aotearoa New Zealand have been impacted by pollutants and contaminants entering via freshwater. Regional councils are developing coastal environmental plans to comply with […]
Farm Stories
Revisiting the great exploding trousers epidemic of the 1930s
By Laura Williamson, editor/co-founder of 1964: mountain culture/Aotearoa It was strange behaviour for a “quite respectable garment”, according to the Hutt News, “Not long ago, in a country township, a man’s pair of trousers exploded with a loud report.” Fortunately, he wasn’t wearing them at the time and was able to throw the offending pants […]
Guidance to help new farm wetlands flourish
A wetland developed by Federated Farmers members Gray and Marilyn Baldwin on their Putaruru dairy farm has become something of a ‘poster child’ for how wetlands can help manage a farm’s environmental footprint and boost biodiversity. The farm was chosen as the venue for the launch of a new NIWA-DairyNZ resource aimed at helping farms […]
Campaign calls on Kiwis to support local pork producers and speak out on controversial proposals
New Zealand pig farmers are urging Kiwis to back the industry and have their say on a controversial draft code of welfare. A new website www.supportnzpigfarmers.co.nz provides information on the drastic changes proposed by the Government and enables Kiwis to lodge submissions directly with the Ministry for Primary Industries. The draft welfare code for pigs […]
Straight-talker from the south says Feds has also given plenty to him
David Clark says he’s always seen his role – and that of Federated Farmers – as giving voice to farmers whose happy place is on the land in overalls and boots, getting on with producing good food. “That’s who I am too”. The Mid-Canterbury President’s tendency to “say it as I see it” has meant […]
Economic Week – 29 April
by Nick Clark, National Manager General Policy Farm sales slip but still stronger than a year ago The Real Estate Institute of New Zealand’s latest Rural Property Statistics have shown there were 395 farm sales in the three months ended March 2022. This was down 11.4% on the three months to February 2022 and also […]
Lamb event serves up healthy bonus for Lawrence clubs
The annual Lawrence Lamb Competition is one of those quintessential rural Kiwi events – a chance for farmers to demonstrate what they do best, raise some money for community causes, catch up and quaff a beer at the end of the day. Russell Robertson started it. Local farmer and a volunteer at the event for […]
Farmers pitch in after picker plea
By Rebecca Flannery Two years ago, it was a “hail from hell” storm that decimated over 75 percent of the fruit crop. Last year a -4.5C frost destroyed the chance for a decent picking season. This year the threat of the trifecta was looming with a lack of pickers. South Canterbury’s apple harvest was looking […]
Plan ahead to defuse panic late at night
A farmer and his mate go out hunting out in the back blocks where there’s no cellphone reception. Time slips away and late in the day they shoot a deer down in a gully. By the time they get it out, it’s dark. Back at the farm’s homestead, the farmer’s wife is fretting. He’s not […]
WorkSafe probing deeper on causes behind ugly statistics
Don’t expect WorkSafe to back off fines and prosecutions for serious failure by employers to ensure practices and equipment are in place to keep workers safe. But there’s a change of culture and direction at the nation’s primary workplace health and safety regulator – and it’s being driven from the top. WorkSafe Chief Executive Phil […]