Federated Farmers' Friday Flash

Federated Farmers' Friday Flash - VP Talks Fibre, Mayoral Candidates Grilled, Pea Weevil, Economic Week

VP Talks Fibre At Select Committee

Vice president Anders Crofoot has told the commerce select committee that there needs to be something in it for farmers if lines companies want to run fibre internet cabling along existing powerlines, an activity that would usually need an easement from every affected property owner. The original Telecommunications (Property Access and Other Matters) Amendment Bill had no guarantee of access but we support the proposal around ‘guaranteed access’ for fibre internet on affected properties. We are encouraged by lines companies who are considering offering free fibre connections. Protecting property rights is as important as the innovation that keeps New Zealand farmers ahead of the curve.

Economic Week

A hat trick of large increases in GDT auction dairy prices is great news for farmers with the GDT Price Index up 7.7 percent following increases of 6.6 percent and 12.7 percent. The downside is the NZ dollar is pushing up which will erode farmgate prices. With local authority elections only a month away, the quarterly Local Authority Statistics show that rates revenue increased by 4.3 percent in the year to June, well ahead of inflation but a slowdown from the 8.5 percent increase for the year to June 2015.

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Thanks For The Pea Weevil Crew

Was nice to see some kind words for Jamie Falloon and the Feds crew working on the Wairarapa Pea Weevil response from the Ministry for Primary Industries in the response update this week. As they said: "Industry support is critical to the success of the response. We really appreciate this pragmatic help on the ground from those who know the people, the problem and the work we’re all doing to solve it. Thanks."

Marlborough Mayoral Candidates Grilled By Feds Group

If councils want to change the rules, expect Federated Farmers to give farmers a voice. Well done to the Marlborough Federated Farmers team which put forward a 445 page submission on the proposed Marlborough Environment Plan. We appreciate local government candidates John Leggett, Colin King and Brian Dawson fronting up to a Feds provincial meeting.

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Paris Agreement Ratification

Federated Farmers has submitted in support of the Government ratifying the Paris Agreement on climate change. The Paris Agreement allows greater flexibility for a more farming-friendly approach than under the Kyoto Protocol, and prioritises the safeguarding of food production.

In case you missed it:

Wairarapa farmer Alan Emerson tells Farmers Weekly "No-one has fixed anything….They are concentrating on playing the blame game…" when it comes to Havelock North’s water crisis.

NZ Herald’s Audrey Young talks about Nick Smith’s "increasingly difficult issues and increasingly polarising views" off the back of the GMO announcement.

Leadership And Staff Engagement In The NZ Dairy Industry

Organisational Psychology student Christina Rolfe is looking at which leadership styles of dairy farm leaders are the most effective. You can partake in this confidential survey if you have been employed on a NZ Dairy farm (either as an employee or sharemilker) for the entire 2015/16 season. Read more and partake in the Survey

Notices

Thinking About Leadership?

It’s time to think about signing up for the next intake (or maybe the one after that) of the Kellogg Programme for farming leadership development. The next course starts on January 24 - applications for this course close on OCTOBER 17 - so you have got some time to give it some thought and have a go. If you don’t know what the Kellogg Programme is all about, go here: www.kellogg.org.nz.

Waikato Healthy Rivers Project

A reminder for the Waikato Healthy Rivers Project that we still need more drystock farmers and a deer farmer to join us in the project to help Feds get it right. If you are interested contact Louise Gibson lgibson@fedfarm.org.nz

Meet the Candidates Evening

7pm on Tuesday 16 September, The Rangitaiki Cosmopolitan Club, Edgecumbe

Open to all rural voters from Rangitaiki and Waimana/Taneatua for Eastern Bay of Plenty mayoral and Council candidates for the above wards and regional council. 7.00 - 7.15pm meet and greet (socialising), 7.15 - 7.30pm Introduction. Community board candidates will have one minute to introduce themselves and what they have to offer, 7.30 to 8.45pm speed dating and Q&A session. Contact John Howard, Bay of Plenty vice-president on jlbm.howard@gmail.com or 021 0309703.

ENDS

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