FEBRUARY 4, 2025
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Rongo Award for Excellence in Agricultural Journalism 2024
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Global shipping services and New Zealand ports could be in for a shakeup after two of the world’s largest operators announced a collaboration to improve shipping service reliability. Hapag Lloyd and Maersk have formed Gemini Cooperation, an operational collaboration that, from February 1, was set to have 340 vessels servicing seven key trade routes, complemented by feeder services. The stated the goal of the collaboration is to achieve 90% customer service reliability.
What’s leading theonconversation the front page of WeeklyFarmers this
Our challenge this year, in order to keep Farmers Weekly strong, is to encourage you, our readers who appreciate getting Farmers Weekly in your mailbox, to subscribe.
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Dean Williamson. CEO and publisher. 027 323 9407. dean.williamson@agrihq.co.nz
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Tom O’Sullivan Hawke’s Bay
I read the current panic among Alliance shareholders with some bemusement, “Keep it coop, urge Alliance stakeholders” (January 27).
The survival-of-the-fittest mentality in the New Zealand meat industry is as strong today as it has ever been. I am particularly bemused at Silver Fern Farms (now Chinese controlled) showing interest in “helping out” Alliance.
I was heavily involved with the farmer advocacy group Meat Industry Excellence in 2015. We produced the very detailed Pathways to Long-Term Sustainability report, which clearly identified the key issues facing the meat industry, as well an industry-wide solution with the financial backing required.
What our audience are telling us this week
Sadly, we couldn’t get the support we needed back then to make things happen and our three-year effort to create the change needed, ended.
One of our biggest frustrations was the lack of farmer understanding and support. I have since exited sheep and beef farming and when I read of the very predictable and dire situation faced today, I am pleased to be well out of it.
This letter to the editor was in response to a Farmers Weekly article by Neal Wallace, ‘Alliance shareholders urge members to keep it co-op’.
www.farmersweekly.co.nz/news/allianceshareholders-urge-members-to-keep-it-co-op/
What’s happening on the Farmers Weekly podcast
This week on the Farmers Weekly In Focus podcast host Bryan Gibson talks with Professor Jon Hickford of Lincoln University about the government’s science reforms; Federated Farmers vice-president Colin Hurst tells the podcast that the QEII Trust, which will run out of money this year, needs to be properly funded; and senior reporter Richard Rennie gives an update on the Zespri kiwifruit shipment that was lost after mice were discovered in the hold. Plus Bryan wraps up the week with his own views in a new segment called Food for Thought.
On the Farmers Weekly podcast this week
News wrap | Richard Rennie on those Zespri mice in the hold
Feature | Science reforms backed by Lincoln Uni ag-hort researcher
Feds Focus | QEII Trust deserves funding says Colin Hurst
Food for Thought | A new segment by Farmers Weekly's editor
In terms of a first take on, a change of direction and a new approach, I think, on the whole positive and that’s pleasing to see.
– Jon Hickford, Lincoln University, Episode: Science reforms backed by leading ag-hort researcher, January 31, 2025
In December Federated Farmers lodged a formal complaint to the Commerce Commission requesting a formal investigation into the lending practices of New Zealand banks, concerned in particular about their involvement in the Net Zero Banking Alliance.
Around the same time New Zealand’s only specialist food and agri bank Rabobank launched a new media campaign promoting their support of community-led initiatives such as Surfing for Farmers, Growing Future Farmers and Meat The Need (which was ironically founded by current Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford).
Those two worlds collided in fantastic fashion in last week’s Farmers Weekly, with a Federated Farmers article detailing their banking concerns, followed directly by four pages of Rabobank Community Fund advertising.
When things collide things also spark. Our hope is that this collision will spark a more nuanced conversation between farmers and their bankers.
Farmers Weekly is progressive, and still faithful to how people are farming. It’s helping us future-proof how we farm by staying positive and still challenging us at times with your wide range of voices.
Laura Morrison
Rangitikei sheep & beef farmer and Federated Farmers regional meat and wool chair
On February 15, 1882, entrepreneurs William Davidson and Thomas Brydone organised the first shipment of frozen lamb from Port Chalmers, Otago to London.
The historic day is celebrated as National Lamb Day, with events occurring across the country.
Farmers Weekly will wrap up the sights, sounds and perhaps even smells of the day alongside a contingent of advertisers who have chosen to raise a chop in support of the cause.
We know securing great media placements is all about planning. Get in touch with your Partnership Manager to secure one of these spots before they’re gone.
What’s hot, and what’s not in rural media here overseasand
Longevity is obviously a theme for western Australian newspaper Farm Weekly. The publication itself is over 100 years old and for the past 18 years they’ve been running a WIN 10 competition. This year’s prize is 10 angus heifers!
The world is overwhelmed right now, and so are farmer’s mailboxes. Here’s a snapshot of all the free mail that’s arrived in a rural Feilding mailbox this Monday, including two newspapers. That’s a lot of information to consume. Most of this will be flicked through or binned. But Farmers Weekly will be read. We know this because when it doesn’t arrive on time we get phone calls! Anyone with the right budget can reach farmers with information. The real question is, will it be read?
