High country farmers and Ministers are defending private property interests in the Mackenzie Basin, while speaking the language of collaboration and trust — with a capital T
At the recent Bluegreens forum, under the title “MP proposes collaborative approach for the Mackenzie”, National Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean talked abo
Why debate the greening of the Mackenzie Basin when in reality it is being overrun by weeds and wilding pines and the topsoil is being blown away?
Claire, I have just now caught up with your latest blog on the Mackenzie Basin.
In response:
Firstly, "sneaky":
Fonterra’s been happily ‘feedlot farming’ indoors in China for nearly three years, and raising their calves in cages. Um, so remind me again … what was it they said, last December, about the ‘cubicle’ farms?
In December 2009, when the ‘cubicle cow’ story broke, Fonterra kept its distance. They said they had real concerns about the effect ‘stall’ (aka ‘cubicle’ and ‘covered’) farming could have on their pasture-fed free-range brand.
In the latest skirmish, the Mackenzie cubicle dairy applicants — or, as they prefer to say, ‘covered farms’ — have turned an apparent setback into a tactical mini-triumph
The Environmental Defence Society was “gobsmacked” on October 1. A fortnight later, when I catch up with its chairman Gary Taylor, he’s still carefully choosing his words.
Farmers and conservationists agree, the Mackenzie must be saved. In simple terms, the question is: should it stay brown, or turn green? Farmer Richard Peacocke and Forest & Bird discuss
Richard Peacocke is becoming a familiar face.
