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AgResearch still providing in a changing world
I want to respond to Jacqueline Rowarth's comments about AgResearch in the July 19 of Rural News (page 23). Her assessment that 55% of AgResearch funding is commercial and therefore research effort and...
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Chinese checkers
Your old mate sees that Winston Peters has been making plenty of noise and sounding outrageous conspiracy theories in his opposition to the Chinese company Shanghai Maling taking a stake in Silver...
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What’s driving the growth in horticulture?
A sure sign of growth is the increase in tractor sales in Northland, Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Wairarapa and Nelson to horticulturists, viticulturists and arable farmers. In key horticulture areas, such...
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Wogistan?
The Hound was astounded to learn that NZ First has more than one MP – extra to the member for North Korea... sorry, Northland. However, the party’s primary industries spokesman Richard ‘Dick’ Prosser...
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Winning friends
Your canine crusader notes his old mates at fishing lobby Bitch & Complain (Fish & Game) are living up to their moniker – bitching and complaining. But this time they’re not picking on farmers...
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The threat of zombie towns and lost opportunities
The big cost of implementing the national policy statement on water is likely to impact rural communities. Beyond the 'opportunity cost' of restricting primary sector activities is the threat of losing...
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New season springs potential positivity
As we head into spring and the new season ahead we are also, at last, seeing signs of positivity in the rural sector. Dairy prices hit their highest level so far this year in the August 3 GDT auction,...
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Time to move on! — Editorial
Now that Silver Fern Farms' farmer shareholders have voted resoundingly, for the second time, in favour of the merger with Chinese company Shanghai Maling it is time the deal was done. In October last...
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Really?
This old mutt had to giggle when he saw that Silver Fern Farms was voted New Zealand’s ‘most trusted’ meat brand by consumers polled in the Reader’s Digest 2016 Most Trusted Brand survey. Apparently...
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Chinese-bashing?
This old mutt understands that the man behind a call for Silver Fern Farms (SFF) to run another poll on its merger with Chinese investor Shanghai Maling is... apparently Mid-Canterbury-based SFF...
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Throwing stones in a glasshouse
The Hound's old mother once gave this old mutt sage advice about people living in glasshouses not throwing stones. Your old mate was reminded of his mother’s wise words when he saw an opinion piece in...
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Who’s responsible?
This old mutt is perturbed to hear of Lincoln University’s precarious financial state. Apparently things are pretty bad, with rumblings that the famous agriculture university could be closed down in a...
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NZ wins from trade deals
The question many people are asking is, 'which trade deal will it be: the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPPA) or the Regional Economic Partnership (RCEP)?' So much focus has been on the TPPA it is very...
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Carry on and keep everyone safe
This month marks the launch of new health and safety laws making all of us doing a job more responsible for creating safe working environments. The new law sees a shift from 'do I have a...
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Dopey move
Your canine crusader suggests it's no wonder Labour's primary industries spokesman Damien O'Connor is now looking a little lost in the Labour caucus. His fellow right-wingers are falling faster than...
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Time for the country to fight back!
Former Central Hawkes Bay local body politician Tim Gilbertson proposes a way for beleaguered dairy farmers to fight back against the sector's army of critics. Don't get me wrong, I've nothing against...
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Hooray for ‘Hen’ry
A mate of the Hound reckons those who think dairy is tough going these days should spare a thought for former Fonterra chair Sir Henry van der Heyden. The ex-dairy boss is – among a myriad business...
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Chinese-bashing?
This old mutt understands that the man behind a call for Silver Fern Farms (SFF) to run another poll on its merger with Chinese investor Shanghai Maling is... apparently Mid-Canterbury-based SFF...
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Hypocrites
Your old mate was intrigued to see former Greens co-leader Jeannette Fitzsimons appeared at a consent hearing to protest about the expansion of Fonterra’s factory at Studholme, South Canterbury....
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Ouch
The Hound had a bit of a giggle at the sight of the party’s supposed mates giving it a serve over the way it gets things so wrong. The peak body for the organics sector in NZ – Organics Aotearoa New...
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