Wellington, Oct 6 NZPA - A big rural lobby, Federated Farmers, says it is battling for changes to the way that councils are funded.

Wellington, Aug 31 NZPA - Seasonal finance is the biggest issue for farmers following the announcement that a significant rural lender South Canterbury Finance (SCF) has gone into receivership, Federated Farmers says.

Climate change policy can create endangered species, as Kevin Rudd found out.

Governments worldwide have grappled with various responses to greenhouse gas emissions and Australia's version of an emissions trading scheme (ETS) wasn't much different to ours.

Wellingtlon, June 25 NZPA - Federated Farmers has given the Government a clear warning that it had better start paying attention to the rural sector. The federation's president, Don Nicolson, used the ousting of former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd to make his point today.

Wellington, June 22 NZPA - The Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) comes widely into force late next week, but farmers from around the country are still hitting the streets in protest.

Wellington, June 5 NZPA - A dairy farmer planning on growing manuka scrub says Federated Farmers lobbyists are mounting a vocal campaign against the farmer accountability for greenhouse gases, but failing to back landowners who want to "farm" carbon credits.

By Kent Atkinson of NZPA Wellington, June 2 NZPA - Farmers upset that the National-led Government is pressing ahead with its emissions trading scheme (ETS) in July are talking about starting a rural-based political party to give country people better representation in Parliament.

Wellington, May 19 NZPA - The Government says it is delivering "smarter services" for biosecurity and the primary sector by providing pragmatic solutions. "Funding has been reallocated to priority areas," Agriculture and Biosecurity Minister David Carter said.

Wellington, March 18 NZPA - New Zealand's first steps into an emissions trading scheme (ETS) on July 1 will start a "lonely, delusional and badly-timed odyssey" that will cost the country dearly, Federated Farmers says.

We've probably got about as much chance of prising open the United States dairy market as selling apples to Australia. And for the same reason -- brute force politics.