The hypocrites at Fish and Game NZ – Alan Emmerson:
I received strong reaction to my blog on Fish and Game’s ‘survey’. Unsurprisingly I stick with everything I said.
I’d now add that the organisation is a rampant hypocrite. I did mention in my last blog that Fish and Game completely ignored the reports of 379 sewerage overflows into our pristine streams and rivers.
Was there any comment from the trade union – in a word no. . .
Pressure is on but dairy farmers’ fundamentals unchanged – Tim Mackle:
On the cusp of the new year, I’ve been thinking about the year gone and what’s head of us.
Having been involved in the dairy sector my whole life, it’s clear that it’s changed significantly since I was a kid. And in the past year, there have been a number of key challenges, whether it’s the talk about nitrogen – both from effluent or the manufactured variety – to help our grass or vegetables grow, our impacts and work to improve water quality or the growing conversation around climate change. And let’s not forget the emergence of new threats, like Mycoplasma bovis.
Here’s the thing about farming. The fundamentals are still the same – looking after cows, grass and people. . .
Man disgusted at dumping of carcasses in South Canterbury river – Matthew Littlewood:
A South Canterbury man is disgusted to find rotting animal carcasses dumped near a popular swimming spot – and wants those responsible to own up.
Ely Peeti, of Waitohi, inland from Temuka, said he was taking his children to a swimming spot near Albury at Rocky Gully bridge on Friday when he found seven deer heads, a sheep skin and a gutted whole male pig, all lying in the water.
He told Stuff he was so shocked by his find that he posted a video online.
“I couldn’t believe the smell, it was just rotten. . .
Resurgent collie club to hold SI champs – Sally Rae:
A few years back, the Omakau Collie Club was close to extinction.
It was only due to the tenacity of a couple of club members that it kept functioning and now, it has undergone a remarkable change in fortunes.
The club — now known as the Omakau-Earnscleugh Collie Club — is preparing to host the South Island sheep dog trial championships in 2021.
It will bring an influx of about 500 dog triallists into the Alexandra area for five and a-half days. . .
Meat meals an iron-clad rule – Tom O’Connor:
In spite of our resolve most of us eat more than we need to and drink more than is good for us during Christmas and New Year gatherings.
That is probably because there is much more to food and drink than merely refuelling the body. We like to combine good food and beverages with the companionship of friends and family in a tradition that goes back a very long way in our history and folklore. . .
A review of 6,000 studies over two decades delivers its verdict on GMO corn – Chelsea Gohd:
There is a great deal of misinformation out there regarding genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
From monikers like “Frankenfoods” to general skepticism, there has been a variety of biased reactions to these organisms, even though we as a species have been genetically modifying our foods in one way or another for approximately 10,000 years.
Perhaps some of this distrust will be put to rest with the emergence of a 2018 meta-analysis that shows GM corn increases crop yields and provides significant health benefits.
The analysis, which was not limited to studies conducted in the US and Canada, showed that GMO corn varieties have increased crop yields worldwide 5.6 to 24.5 percent when compared to non-GMO varieties. . .
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