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RNZ News
3 days ago
- General
- RNZ News
Celebrating one hundred years of Rural Women New Zealand
This story takes us back to 1925 in Wellington where, at tea-party for wives of delegates to a Farmers' Union meeting, sixteen women agreed on the need for their own organisation. The inaugural meeting of the Women's Division of the New Zealand Farmers' Union was held the following morning, 28 July 1925 - one hundred years ago today. While there's since been a name change to Rural Women New Zealand, the organisation continues to play a vital contribution to supporting and advocating for women and the farming communities. Sandra Mathews is the president of Rural Women New Zealand speaks to Jesse. Tags: To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
Daily Mail
13-07-2025
- Climate
- Daily Mail
Farmers are banned from watering their crops during Britain's sweltering heatwave as temperatures hit 33C
Farmers have been banned from watering their crops during Britain's sweltering heatwave as temperatures hit 33C. East Anglian growers have been slapped with the 'abstraction ban' until further notice - even though no other kinds of water usage in the area have been forbidden. It comes as parts of Britain sizzle in 30C heat again today, after a searing 33C was recorded yesterday, in Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire. This year's red-hot summer has already seen reservoirs across England run dry, hitting their lowest levels in a decade. Meanwhile, hosepipe bans were implemented this week for around six million householders across Yorkshire and the South East. But while a week's notice was given for these bans, East Anglian farmers saw crop irrigation forbidden by the Environment Agency (EA) without any warning at all. They have erupted into fury, fearing the move poses a serious risk to food security - especially as East Anglia is one of the country's major farming regions. Tom Bradshaw, president of the National Farmers' Union (NFU), blasted the ban's implementation 'with no prior engagement', The Telegraph reports. 'It seems ridiculous', he added, when no drought or hosepipe ban is otherwise in place. Some 240 farmers in the Ely Ouse catchment, which stretches across parts of Essex, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, were hit by the ban unawares on July 3. This Environment Agency management zone includes the cities of Cambridge and Ely, as well as market towns Saffron Walden, Bury St Edmund's and Newmarket. The government department's own website notes the area contains 'high-grade agricultural land' and is 'predominantly rural'. It has said it will review the indefinite ban on a daily basis. Tim Young, who owns the 182-hectare Grange Farm near the market town of Thetford, Norfolk, said the ban is a 'huge knock' to profitability and food production. It is especially galling, he added, while 'gardens and grass keep getting water to look nice'. He had expected the ban might only be applied four nights a week - so was shocked to discover irrigation had been completely forbidden. 'Normally, the EA works with farmers and the NFU to give some heads-up. This came out of the blue', he said. Mr Young said he was especially worried about the onions he grows - which easily wilt, rot and decay without regular irritation to beat the fusarium fungal disease. The farmer, who also grows sugar beet, wheat and rye, was devastated at the thought of losing one of the best crops he has ever grown. NFU vice-president Rachel Hallos called for more flexible abstraction rules - and support for farmers in managing increasingly extreme weather, for the sake of preserving food supply. The EA imposes abstraction bans, also known as Section 57 restrictions, when severe drought coincides with irrigation windows. Abstraction is the process of taking water from the environment, such as rivers, streams or springs, for use in agriculture, industry or the home. Section 57 was heavily used in the nineties in the east of England and again during the severe droughts of 2006 - but has rarely been invoked in the last decade. Farmers are rarely prosecuted for breaking the orders - but in 2020, one farm in Cambridgeshire had to pay £8,000 for abstracting water to irrigate potatoes. The breach by Dennis (Haddenham) Limited, based out of Willow Farm Hall, near Ely, came during the ban implemented amid months of dry weather in 2018. The firm then broke restrictions again less than a year later, despite already being under investigation. While breaking abstraction bans can see farmers hit with huge fines, most water companies have never prosecuted customers for breaching hosepipe bans. They can, in theory, be prosecuted and ordered to pay up to £1,000. But most firms rely on homeowners' fear they will be reported by a neighbour, as well as awareness-raising about reducing water usage generally. Growers are allowed to abstract with an EA licence - but breaching its terms can also lead to fines, as one Norfolk farmer saw last year. Brian Rutterford, 77, whose farm is in the village of Hockwold-cum-Wilton, had pay £4,300 after pleading guilty to abstracting three times more water than he was licensed to. It came during the record high summer temperatures of 2022, when East Anglia was in an official drought and many local water sources had run dry. His actions, the EA said, had affected the local community's water supply. The abstraction bans in East Anglia come as Yorkshire Water introduced hosepipe bans this week after the area saw its driest spring in a whopping 132 years. More than a million customers in Kent and Sussex have also been slapped with a hosepipe ban, announced by South East Water on Friday. Thames Water revealed on Thursday is would impose restrictions after 'ongoing dry weather and increased customer demand' unless the situation 'changes significantly'. Customers were urged by the company to use water sparingly given the region it serves has seen just half of its expected rainfall over the last three months. The EA has declared a state of 'prolonged dry weather' in large parts of Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Surrey - meaning a heightened risk of drought. Daily demand in Swindon and Oxfordshire peaked during the UK's last heatwave on June 30 at a level not seen since in the 2022 drought, Thames Water said. People are being encouraged to take shorter showers, turn the tap off while brushing teeth and letting their lawn go dry to help reduce big increases in demand. Bosses also warned that the extended warm weather was bringing 'increased risks of leaks and bursts due to pipe stress and shifting foundations in the ground'. Water companies are often hesitant to put hosepipe bans in place, fearing tanking customer satisfaction ratings. But it comes as the latest figures show reservoirs nationwide were only 76 per cent full in June. This is even lower than in the raging hot summer of 2022, when they were at 77 per cent at the same time of year. The mercury hitting such high levels and thus driving up water use, plus a dry spring and summer, are primarily behind the dramatic decline in reservoir levels. Proposals to build nine more reservoirs by 2050 were announced by the government and water companies last year. None have been completed in England since 1992 - just after the privatisation of the water sector. The hot weather has shown no sign of stopping this weekend, with Scotland yesterday recording its warmest day of the year, as Aviemore in the Highlands hit 32C. The hot weather has shown no sign of stopping this weekend, with Scotland yesterday recording its warmest day of the year, as Aviemore (pictured) in the Highlands hit 32C Meanwhile, areas like Belfast in Northern Ireland were as hot as they had been in almost three years. By this afternoon, temperatures in cities like London, Birmingham and Manchester look set to smash the 30C mark again as the relentless heat continues. Amber health alerts are in place for the Midlands and the south and east of England until 9am on Monday. They warn of a potential rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions. The risk of wildfires in London is also currently rated at 'severe' by the Natural Hazards Partnership. Fire chiefs have warned of the increased risk of drowning as people try to cool off in water. And National Rail has also warned train passengers that the hot weather may continue to cause disruption today. On top of the amber alerts, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has yellow warnings in place until Monday for the north east, north west and Yorkshire and Humber. A spokesperson for Water UK said: 'Water companies do everything possible to avoid restrictions on customers, including by moving water around their region and surging activity on leakage. 'However, when government-mandated trigger levels are reached, then unfortunately, a temporary use ban needs to be imposed.' A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: 'Rapid population growth, crumbling infrastructure and a warming climate mean that without urgent action, Britain could run out of drinking water. 'We have taken swift and decisive action to secure £104billion of private sector investment to build nine reservoirs and new pipes to cut leaks.' A Thames Water spokesman said: 'The ongoing dry weather and increased customer demand is impacting our water supplies across the Thames Valley. 'Unless the situation changes significantly, we will need to put usage restrictions, including a hosepipe ban, in place to ensure taps keep running for customers' essential use.'
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Which American Jobs Are Most Likely To Be Affected As China Responds To Trump's Tariffs?
An escalating trade war with China, where one of the U.S.'s top trading partners placed a 125% tariff on American goods, will likely make it more expensive for American companies to export products to China. American companies will likely slow hiring, and Trump's tariffs are expected to reduce manufacturing employment by 500,000. The trade war will most likely impact farmers and agriculture companies, as the majority of the $150 billion in goods the U.S. exports to China, is made up of agricultural to China support thousands of U.S. jobs, and economists say those positions could be at risk if trade tensions between the two countries continue. In an escalating trade war with China, the U.S. has a tariff of 145% on Chinese goods, and China has placed a tariff of 125% on U.S. goods. Economists say these trade tensions will likely make it more expensive for American businesses to import and export Chinese goods and could threaten the labor market. According to a report by the U.S.-China Business Council, in 2022, an estimated 931,231 American jobs were supported by exports to China. However, hiring and jobs in sectors most exposed to Chinese trade could be in danger if the two countries cannot reach a long-term trade deal and elevated tariffs persist. A trade war could negatively impact American workers in sectors that rely on exports to China Oilseeds and Grains 178,736 Education 117,161 Meat Products 32,396 Aerospace Products and Parts 28,963 Semiconductors and Components 28,791 Miscellaneous Crops 28,391 Pharmaceuticals and Medicines 26,081 Industrial Machinery 24,373 Navigational and Measuring Instruments 22,961 Motor Vehicles 21,873 Oil and Gas 21,187 Medical Equipment and Supplies 20,929 Miscellaneous Personal and Recreational 18,636 Royalties from Industrial Processes 16,286 Miscellaneous Business, Professional & Technology Services 14,974 Pulp and Paperboard Mill Products 13,274 Miscellaneous General Purpose Machinery 12,678 Petroleum and Coal Products 12,011 Personal Travel and Tourism 11,470 Basic Chemicals 11,404 Tariffs have not hit the labor market yet; in March, few private-sector companies reported large-scale layoffs. However, as Trump's back-and-forth tariffs continue to create uncertainty, Goldman Sachs economists say hiring will likely be the first economic element to feel the effects. More than one-fourth of the jobs that could be affected by Chinese tariffs on U.S. goods rely on agricultural trade with China. Farmers are worried they won't be able to afford to sell to their previous trading partners. That could potentially, in turn, affect how they hire and fire workers. "Farmers Union has always fought for fair trading relationships with other countries," said Rob Larew, president of the National Farmers Union, in a statement on April 2. "We rely on stable markets and fair competition to thrive, but the administration's actions today create instability at the expense of our family farmers." The Trump administration has discussed some emergency aid to farmers, as it did during its trade war with China in 2018, according to the New York Times. However, no aid has been put in place yet. Read the original article on Investopedia Sign in to access your portfolio
Arab Times
03-03-2025
- Business
- Arab Times
30% of market space dedicated to Kuwaiti Farmers' Corner across all cooperatives
KUWAIT CITY, March 3: The Ministry of Social Affairs, through its Cooperative Sector, has begun overseeing the distribution of designated spaces to cooperative societies across the country. These spaces, allocated to the Farmers Union within central cooperative markets, will be known as the "Kuwaiti Farmer's Corner." Covering 30 percent of the total market space, this area is intended for the display of local agricultural products, providing a platform for the union and boosting opportunities to market local production. The initiative is aimed at ensuring the consistent availability of local products, supporting Kuwaiti farmers, contributing to food security, and increasing the presence of national products in cooperative markets. According to sources from the Ministry of Social Affairs, newly formed teams from the Cooperative Sector have begun their field inspections to ensure that cooperative societies comply with a recently issued ministerial decision promoting local agricultural products. The ministry has made it clear that it will take necessary legal actions against cooperative boards that do not follow the decision. Non-compliance will result in gradual penalties, starting with a warning, followed by the suspension of the cooperative's bank accreditation, and potentially leading to a "judicial seizure." In cases of continued non-compliance, the ministry may dissolve the board of directors. The ministerial decision also requires cooperative societies to purchase at least 75 percent of their agricultural products locally. This is to be done by participating in daily auctions at approved marketing outlets, and the transactions must be documented under computerized invoices to ensure transparency and enhance the efficiency of buying and selling operations. In addition, the ministry plans to form an investigation committee to review the operations and financial records of a cooperative society in the Ahmadi Governorate. The committee will examine all administrative documents and accounting records, ensuring their accuracy while investigating any potential mismanagement or misconduct by the society's leadership and employees during the relevant period. The committee will also monitor any violations and submit a report to the Undersecretary of the Ministry, which will be presented to the Minister of Social Affairs within one week of the committee's formation. The investigation report will include a detailed account of any violations, identify those responsible, and propose legal actions to address any issues. The committee's work will remain confidential, and its members are prohibited from disclosing any information. All departments of the Cooperative Sector, along with the concerned cooperative society, must provide the committee with all requested documents and data. Failure to comply will result in legal accountability.
Arab Times
11-02-2025
- Business
- Arab Times
Ministry mandates 75% local agricultural products in cooperative societies
KUWAIT CITY, Feb 11: Dr. Amthal Al-Huwailah, the Minister of Social Affairs, Family, and Childhood Affairs, has issued a new ministerial decision to promote local agricultural products in cooperative societies. This initiative is part of the government's efforts to enhance local production, achieve food security, and support Kuwaiti farmers, in line with the Cabinet's recommendations. The ministry stated on Monday that the decision mandates cooperative societies to purchase at least 75 percent of their agricultural products from local sources. These purchases must be made directly through participation in daily auctions at approved marketing outlets, with computerized invoices to ensure transparency and improve the efficiency of buying and selling. The decision also requires cooperative societies to appoint a staff representative to attend the daily auctions. Kuwaiti nationals are prioritized for these roles to support local labor in the agricultural sector. To further promote local produce, cooperative societies must allocate 30 percent of the central market space to display local agricultural products, benefiting the Farmers Union. This move will enhance the visibility of local products and ensure they are consistently available to consumers. Additionally, the decision requires that clear price lists be displayed for all local agricultural products, promoting transparency between consumers and farmers. To support local products, the decision allows cooperative societies to absorb up to 5 percent of the total value of daily purchases of local goods within a week to cover potential losses. Designated personnel are responsible for managing this process. A profit margin of no more than 20 percent will be applied to local agricultural products to ensure fair pricing. Furthermore, local products will be exempt from the usual conditions and restrictions placed on other items, facilitating their marketing and increasing opportunities for farmers to sell their goods. The administrative supervisor of each cooperative society will review daily purchase invoices to ensure compliance with the new rules. Monthly reports detailing any violations and measures taken to address non-compliance will be submitted to the relevant department in the Ministry of Social Affairs. A joint committee, comprising representatives from the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Public Authority for Agriculture and Fish Resources, and the Union of Cooperative Societies, will be formed to monitor the implementation of the decision. This committee will submit monthly reports on compliance and assess the decision's impact, offering recommendations for any necessary adjustments. The new decision also cancels Ministerial Resolution No. (115) of 2022, which supported the promotion of local agricultural products in cooperative societies. The new decision takes effect immediately upon publication in the Official Gazette, and all concerned parties are required to comply. This decision is part of the government's ongoing efforts to ensure sustainability in the agricultural sector, stimulate the local economy, and enhance the contribution of national products to cooperative markets, contributing to greater self-sufficiency and food security.
