Given the various parties in Parliament had wildly different views on when it should be held, the new election date seems fair.
For those who dread the billboards and the electioneering, not so much.
Still, the extra time will give us all more time to chew over the parties’ primary sector policies, which have been slow in coming.
We’re still waiting to see comprehensive policy from some parties which is a little strange, given most seem to agree it’s the primary industries that will lead the economic recovery.
Labour, of course, can stand on its record and rural communities will vote accordingly. The other parties need to spell out how they’ll improve the lives of farmers and so far there’s little information to go on.
Bryan Gibson
Field trials begin on award-winning varroa treatment
The creators of an award-winning solar powered heat treatment system for varroa mite are gearing up to field test their prototype on a site north of Hamilton.
PULSE: Low Australian beef production
Total Australian Eastern states cattle slaughter for July was 477,771 head, down by 20%, or 120,000 head, compared to the same period last year, as farmers continue to retain stock due to improved feed and weather conditions.
Fonterra secures China role
Fonterra has gone for much-needed stability and experience when confirming Teh-han Chow as chief executive of Greater China businesses. He will oversee ingredients, foodservice, consumer brands and China Farms.
ACROSS THE RAILS: Generational farmers support hogget fair
The Feilding Marton Hogget Fair is steeped in history and while the venue has changed from the early days, many of the generational farmers still support this big event on the North Island livestock sales calendar.
TB strain linked to feral pigs
The same strain of bovine TB infecting Hawke’s Bay cattle has been traced back to feral pigs in the Waipunga area off the Napier Taupo Highway, although pest control on the block of land where the pigs were found has been held up through an objection before the Maori Land Court.
Tonight on Sarah’s Country
7.10pm – First it was the Southern Girl Finishing School, then Contiki buses flocked in to see her weekly Real Country farm shows. Now, Laura Douglas has not only pivoted her tourism business near Queenstown due to covid-19, but she has also launched a female-only, farm training course in Northern Southland.
7.20pm – Dairy farmers now have financial incentive to take on an apprentice with the Government funding employers to take onboard new staff and retain them. Primary ITO chief executive Nigel Philpott says it's more than apprentices but the pathways from school age into the primary sector.
7.30pm – Over 14,000ha of farmland has been sold to foreign purchasers for forestry conversion in the past 12 months under the Government’s special forest consent programme. Forest Owners Association president Phil Taylor will explain the Government's review into the screening of foreign forestry investors.
7.40pm – Final aerial winter grazing inspections took place last week by Environment Southland, and they were impressed. Federated Farmers’ vice president will join us as farmers try to wrap their head around the National Policy Standards coming into play early September with little detail.
