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Funny that
Your old mate has heard about framing a question to get the answer you want, but reckons environmental campaigners down south have taken this a step further. They have been claiming that South...
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What’s in store during the next levy cycle?
In the last two weeks I’ve had the good fortune to catch up with hundreds of farmers nationwide as they’ve turned out to see what Beef + Lamb New Zealand is planning in the next six year levy cycle....
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Farm debt bill is well-timed
Farm debt mediation is back in the national spotlight, and not a moment too soon. When NZ First introduced its Agricultural Debt Mediation Bill in June, the party probably didn’t appreciate the full...
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Bull crap
This old mutt almost choked on his dog biscuits at Winston Peters’ latest ridiculous claim to being a dairy farmer – when he had a crack at ‘National party stooge’ Mike Hosking, recently. The Hound...
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OMG!
The Hound reckons the Jafas from Auckland simply don’t help themselves with their rural cousins. Apparently, the latest fad emerging in the swankier Auckland suburbs is having a pet lamb and prancing...
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A flicker of light at end of tunnel?
Like many in the agri sector I was more than happy to see dairy prices rise sharply in the August 19 GlobalDairyTrade (GDT) auction. As my Fed Farmers dairy chair colleague Andrew Hoggard says, this...
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Food for thought
The Hound reckons the Greenies and tree huggers are not going to be too happy about recent reports that indicate organic produce is not necessarily better for the environment. One study shows there is...
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A ‘Brighter’ future?
It seems that farmer/shareholder ownership of primary sector entities is almost worshipped in some quarters. Fonterra is often held up as the Holy Grail – although many dairy farmers may dispute this...
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Yawn
Who would have thunk it? Winston Peters screeching on and on about the dangers of an imminent Asian invasion and takeover of N-Zed! Your old mate notes that, this time, the St Mary’s Bay (Auckland) MP...
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Farmers sneeze and townies cough – sooner
The dairy downturn could be an indicator of how the economy will suffer if farmers have to reduce inputs to meet environmental compliance standards. Ron Pellow, executive director of the South Island...
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TPP a prize worth the effort
Few trade agreements have generated as many column inches – or as much protest - as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). The recent meeting of TPP ministers in Maui represents an important turning...
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Good for you
Studies show that people who grow up on farms – especially dairy farms – have way fewer allergy and asthma problems than others. In a recent study published in Science, researchers report they were...
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Appropriate
Your old mate had to giggle at a recent media proclamation from the Waikato Regional Council. The local government body boldly claimed it is “taking a fresh approach to helping farmers with effluent...
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Farmers’ will do their bit
The Health and Safety Reform Bill grabbed many headlines because of farming activities that are deemed high risk, and those that are not. Because most farming activities fall on the low-risk side, many...
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US farmers not too keen on Trump
According to US political magazine Politico Donald Trump’s brash talk about stopping undocumented immigration has excited Republican primary voters, turbocharged his campaign and spurred similar...
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A win for bringing overseas workers
It has been a tough year so far for rural contractors with the pressure on the dairy sector, while many areas – such as Southland and the West Coast – are too wet to do anything. However, there are a...
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Handouts for hairy little Hobbits, what about for water? - Tim Gilbertson
Here's a question for the big brains out there. You and I have forked out $191 million, via tax rebates, for Sir Peter Jackson to make hobbit movies. Up to March 2014, the taxpayer had given the film...
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Stop the rot! - Editorial
Surprise surprise, the Trans-Pacific Partnership has at last been concluded and no babies have been murdered. Jane Kelsey and other TPP scaremongers have been conspicuous by their absence since the...
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What next?
You old mate continues to be dumbfounded at the lengths some 'environmental' groups will go to in an effort to discriminate against farming. The latest example is where Environment Southland...
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TPP more than sum of its uneven parts
I was asked by a television channel to award a score out of 10 for the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) recently concluded in Atlanta. I gave it 7.5 because 75% of New Zealand's exports are well covered...
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