Science Media Centre

The High Court has upheld a ruling allowing regional councils to determine whether genetically modified organisms (GMOs) can be banned in their areas. Federated Farmers appealed an earlier decision in the Environment Court, which granted regional councils the right to make decisions about GMOs, saying the technology should be regulated by central government. NZBIO chief […]

UPDATED: Scientists are questioning statements by a prominent dairy industry representative, suggesting trout are a ‘disastrous species’ — no better than ‘freshwater stoats’ — and that farmers have been unfairly blamed for their impacts on declining water quality. These allegations were made in a speech last week by outgoing Federated Farmers Dairy chairperson Lachlan McKenzie, urging members to use […]

A recently released report by NIWA has said that a third of the monitored lakes in New Zealand have poor water quality. Further, the report states that more lakes are deteriorating in quality than are improving, with much of the deterioration linked to agriculture. Media coverage: (oldest first) ONE News: Third of NZ lakes of […]

Kiran Chug writes in the Dominion Post about the state of New Zealand’s waterways, which are still being polluted despite an inquiry two years ago which suggested sweeping reforms to clean them up. A report has gone to Environment Minister Nick Smith suggesting that strict rules be put in place to protect waterways, although the […]

There has been a great deal of debate over New Zealand’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) in recent months, with the controversy hotting up particularly over the last few days. Federated Farmers and the ACT party are in strenuous opposition to the Scheme, which they say will cost farmers (and New Zealanders as a whole) too […]

Federated Farmers has changed tack on its carbon tax stance, reports Radio New Zealand. Previously opposed to a carbon tax, the organisation is now suggesting that a carbon tax might be preferable to an ETS.  Federated Farmers remains opposed to an ETS. An excerpt: (read in full here) “Farmers opposed the alternative option of a […]