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Just the facts ma’am — Editorial
An amusing memo circulated by a few social media-savvy farmers last week nicely summed up the rural-urban divide: 'Farming. noun [farm-ing]: the art of losing money while working 400 hours to feed...
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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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Dirty politics?
Your old mate was always convinced that a shady cabal of players had hooked their wagons – behind the scenes – to the failed attempt to ‘shanghai’ the proposed Silver Fern Farms and Shanghai Maling...
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Finding a solution to a very real problem
Recent debate about unemployed New Zealanders and their keenness – or lack of it – to gain work was sparked after Prime Minister John Key commented how hard it is to get beneficiaries into seasonal...
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Not so GE-free
The Hound had to shake his head at the performance of the Hastings District Council (HDC) and the debacle it had in managing – or is that mismanaging? – the water in Havelock North. The outbreak of...
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Seriously, Lincoln?
Your canine crusader had to giggle at the latest spin coming out of Lincoln University, now engulfed in a financial crisis which could force it to close, downsize or even merge with another university....
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Trade rules for agriculture are fair for all
For New Zealand as a small and remote nation, international engagement and trade are major priorities. We are committed to being at the forefront of global efforts to improve the global trading system...
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A damn load of emotional effluent
The Ruataniwha water storage scheme saga has gone far beyond soap opera territory: fantasy has long since replaced fact, the noisy quashing any sense. Here are some examples. Serial anti-RWSS crusader...
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How credible?
The Hound notes that Ross Hyland, the former ‘advisor’ of failed meat lobby group MIE, popped up again in the media to criticise the confirmed SFF/Shanghai Maling merger. The former seed salesman, who...
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Why?
This old mutt wonders just how long Massey University can credibly claim to be a pre-eminent learning institution for future agriculture when one of its high-profile academics reckons there is no...
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Strewth!
Your old mate had to giggle at a recent story about a vegan video blogger (Vlogger) who got all teary at the sight of sheep being shipped across Cook Strait. Apparently this vegan travel blogger (pity...
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Reality-free
Your canine crusader thinks Fed head William Rolleston comes across at times as a bit too nice – perhaps because of all the fancy schools he went to. However, your old mate was pleased to see recently...
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Exports rely on freedom to move
The key to successfully selling fruit and vegetables in New Zealand or overseas is to give consumers what they want. In our growing Asian markets, consumers respond to healthy eating, to delicious,...
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New councillors’ assurances ring hollow
From freshly elected city, town and country leaders, words and phrases such as ‘rebuilding trust’ and ‘increased involvement of the community’ have been heard sounding -- again. The idea, we are told,...
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Good growth gives new season kick-start
Despite wet weather in many regions, the outlook is encouraging and we are seeing plenty of good growth around the country as rural contractors start cranking up for their busy season. Where I am based...
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Wellington’s vulnerability
I have lived in and around Wellington all my life and I have never experienced an earthquake as big and as frightening as this latest one. But interestingly some things haven’t changed. Once again the...
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Implications of Wellington port damage
Heaven forbid what would have happened to people working in buildings at the Wellington Port. One senses that there is an attempt to talk down the seriousness of the problem by some people in authority...
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Yawn
British singer Morrissey has taken aim at Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce, in a strongly worded letter calling for an end to live animal exports. The vegan...
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