THE HOUND

Bad taste!

THIS OLD mutt hears that even Wall Street is now taking a pessimistic stance on plant-alternative foods.

Commentators believe this is because – despite the rampant anti-meat push by some – plantbased foods are no less expensive than other proteins. It seems that share prices in makers of fake steaks and plant-based meat alternatives are dropping fast and the money men are getting twitchy and bailing out. Barclays has cut its ratings on both Beyond Meat and Tyson recently, saying “the worst is yet to come” as consumers shift their purchasing habits in favour of less expensive proteins and other food. Shares of Beyond Meat are down 77% for the year, while the share value of alternative-protein company Tyson are down 24% this year. Your old mate suggests that fake meats are not only a bad imitation of the real thing, but also not the money spinner many thought they’d be.

Shotgun alley?

THE HOUND reckons the decision by Fieldays to hold the event in summer turned out to be a bit of a fizzer. Not only were the number of exhibitors down on the amount who were usually there, but so was attendance. This year’s total crowd size was estimated to be only around 75,000 – compared to the 130,000 or so who normally turn up to Fieldays in June. In fact, one exhibitor reckoned the crowd was so sparse they could have fired a shotgun down one of the roads and not hit anybody! However, according to Fieldays CEO Peter Nation, the low number of attendees meant it was all about “quality not quantity”. One wag told your old mate that Mr Nation appeared to be channelling the hapless lawyer Denis Denuto from the Aussie cult movie ‘The Castle’, claiming it was all about the ‘vibe’ rather than facing the reality!

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Whoops!

YOUR CANINE crusader understands that late last month in Southland, Beef+Lamb NZ chair Andrew Morrison – on what was described as a thinly disguised re-electioneering round – held two separate invite-only meetings for farmers on agricultural emissions, with scientist David Frame in tow. Apparently, the first meeting was for all the “troublemakers” who have challenged B+LNZ. Then the second invite-only meeting was – as told to yours truly – “for the compliant farmer robots, who don’t ask questions of the messiah and his mothership”. According to the Hound’s source, this would have worked out well for Morrison, until the ‘troublemakers’ meeting went an hour longer than planned and as they were walking out the more compliant farmers were walking in.

Awkward!

No s#*t Sherlock!

UNDER-FIRE Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor has now conceded in a recent media interview that, “The Government hasn’t been stellar at communicating its message to the farming sector”. The Hound reckons this blindingly obvious admission would have to be the understatement of the decade. Meanwhile, the jungle drums are also beating that his near 30-year political career may be soon coming to an end – either by design or default. Although reluctant to confirm he’s pulling stumps on politics, in the same piece when asked whether he’d be keen to stay in government should Labour remain in power after next year’s election, O’Connor said, “That’s in the hands of the Prime Minister.” Actually, it will be in the hands of West Coast voters who may very well give him the elbow next year and save Jacinda the job.

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