The New Zealand Farmers Weekly - Opinion http://www.nzfarmersweekly.co.nz/ Latest Content for Opinion en-nz http://www.nzfarmersweekly.co.nz/images/farmers_weekly_logo (small).gif Copyright 2007 The New Zealand Farmers Weekly http://www.nzfarmersweekly.co.nz/feed/ The New Zealand Farmers Weekly RSS Generator info@cplfirst.co.nz info@cplfirst.co.nz Election horse trading could hurt NZ I've been on holiday in Australia for a couple of weeks, observed the election and the last 10 days of the campaign. I've seen a positive plethora of politicians doing what they do best, polarising the peasants. A bit like New Zealand really. http://www.nzfarmersweekly.co.nz/article/8441.html info@cplfirst.co.nz 30-08-2010 Farmers not sitting on hands Over sixteen years of columns, I've made a good living out of pointing out what was wrong with the meat and wool industries. I'm probably the only sheep and beef farmer to have profited from the dismal shambles we've watched unfold. http://www.nzfarmersweekly.co.nz/article/8423.html info@cplfirst.co.nz 23-08-2010 Crisis: but no one is listening Farmers' take-home pay is down to a paltry $88 a week but no one seems to realise the flow-on consequences for the entire country. The latest Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry report on the profitability of sheep and beef provides sober reading. http://www.nzfarmersweekly.co.nz/article/8405.html info@cplfirst.co.nz 16-08-2010 Déjà vu about meat strategy exercise Farmers tend to be practical hands-on people who see a problem and fix it. Talking to Westpac recently they made the point that while farmers were efficient behind the farm gate, the reason for the lack of return was because of issues between the farm gate and the market. http://www.nzfarmersweekly.co.nz/article/8395.html info@cplfirst.co.nz 09-08-2010 Horses for courses on ownership I touched a little on ownership of New Zealand farmland recently and judging from the response in terms of emails from you back to me, it remains a hot topic and one worth delving into a little deeper. http://www.nzfarmersweekly.co.nz/article/8381.html info@cplfirst.co.nz 02-08-2010 It's logical, so it won't happen I must confess I don't buy meat and vegetables from supermarkets. With meat I prefer to kill my own or buy from a number of the really good butchers we have in Wairarapa and Southern Hawke's Bay. http://www.nzfarmersweekly.co.nz/article/8369.html info@cplfirst.co.nz 26-07-2010 Come on people, get act together People in the provinces will be absolutely gobsmacked at the ridiculous antics of both national and local body politicians over the coming Rugby World Cup. http://www.nzfarmersweekly.co.nz/article/8359.html info@cplfirst.co.nz 19-07-2010 Airport, farm - what's the difference? I found all the noise around the Landcorp bid for the Crafar farms fascinating, to say the least. At one level I think it is a good idea. http://www.nzfarmersweekly.co.nz/article/8350.html info@cplfirst.co.nz 12-07-2010 Good news for agriculture I read the KPMG Agribusiness Agenda report last week and believe it provides an excellent overview of the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand agriculture. http://www.nzfarmersweekly.co.nz/article/8338.html info@cplfirst.co.nz 05-07-2010 ETS a bluff, bluster and strut show I expect to see bluff, bluster and strut from our politicians but they've taken that to an art form over the Emissions Trading Scheme or ETS. In fact farmers could be forgiven for believing the political slogan for the ETS is "obfuscation above all". http://www.nzfarmersweekly.co.nz/article/8329.html info@cplfirst.co.nz 28-06-2010