Kids in urban schools across the country are getting excited and invested in the food and fibre sector, we have the Farmer Time Programme to thank for that. Farmer Time is a pan-sector educational programme that was launched in 2022 by Beef + Lamb New Zealand and connects students (Years 1-8) and their teachers with […]
Politics
Economic Week – December 23
This is my final economic commentary for 2022, a year which has been challenging – to put it mildly. We have grappled with the ongoing effects of Covid-19 at home and abroad, supply chain snarl ups, war in Ukraine, financial market turmoil, economic slowdown, government policies, high inflation, and the fight against it. Farmer, business, […]
Daft Punk or more The Who?
By Mark Hooper, Federated Farmers resource management spokesperson “Faster, cheaper, better resource management.” These were the words that led Minister Parker’s press release when introducing two new bills to Parliament to replace the 30-year old Resource Management Act, or RMA. Most farmers would say ‘sign me up’. Over the last decade farming by consent has […]
Feds applauds govt’s rural connectivity ambitions
The government’s goal that by 2032 every rural and remote resident and worker in New Zealand will have the ability to access the connectivity they need is ambitious but admirable, Federated Farmers says. It’s one of a number of aspirational targets outlined in the Lifting Connectivity in Aotearoa report launched at Fieldays. “The new report […]
Pluses & minuses for farmers in local government review draft
By Nick Clark, Federated Farmers National Manager General Policy On 28 October the Review into the Future for Local Government released its draft report on its vision for local government, including radical reforms to how councils will be governed, what they will do, how they will be funded. The review was set up 18 months […]
World’s fastest Parliament nothing to boast about
By Paul Melville, FFNZ Principal Advisor, Water & Environment Strategy The dangers of urgency were put in the spotlight this month following the passing of Eugene Sage’s amendment to entrench provisions in the Three Waters Entities Bill that prevented four new regional water entities from divesting water assets. But Parliament has been busy with more […]
Final call for Agricultural Production Census
– deadline extended to 23 December 2022 It’s not too late to take part in the 2022 Agricultural Production Census. The deadline for the nationwide census of agriculture has been extended to 23 December, to enable more farmers to be represented in New Zealand’s agricultural statistics. Stats NZ last week announced the provisional results […]
Interest pinch weighs heavily on farmer stress
Farmers are being squeezed by rising interest rates, with debt or other financial concerns eroding mental wellbeing, the latest Federated Farmers Banking Survey shows. Nearly 1200 farming businesses answered questions in the November survey, reporting that their average mortgage interest rate had increased to 6.29 percent from 4.59 percent in May (and 3.95 percent in […]
Economic Week – December 16
by Nick Clark, National Manager General Policy It’s been a big week for economic data and news. Christmas come early for economists! But not all of it of the best of cheer unfortunately. Farmer confidence tanks Rabobank’s latest Rural Confidence Survey has seen a plunge in farmer confidence. The December quarter’s result was a dismal […]
Halal butcher addition to immigration list a positive step to help address shortage
The addition of halal butchers to the Government’s Green List work to residence tier is a positive first step, says the Meat Industry Association (MIA). Halal butchers will join the Green list from March 2023 with applicants able to count time on a work visa from 29 September 2021 towards their work to residence requirement. […]