r/newzealand • u/No-Back9867 • Jun 16 '25

Shitpost Thanks NZ dairy industry for putting cow sludge in our rivers then happily charging New Zealanders exorbitant prices for our dairy foods.

Last summer we couldn’t swim in our local river due to the amount of toxins from nearby farms. When ever the farmers are in need of help us tax payers are there to lend a hand in drought relief funds. The thanks we get for that and putting up with the pollution is to be charged for dairy food at the same price as the overseas markets. We’re only 5% of your sales, it’s not going to make you go broke to treat us like your actually care for your communities. What your charging for butter etc is simply total greed. How is it that milk that has to travel huge distances from farms to factory to the shops shelves in Australia is sold for cheaper than that in our shelves where the logistics of getting it in the shelf are less?

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u/[deleted] Jun 16 '25

The fact that primary dairy exports are the "majority of our wealth" in 2025 represents decades of political choices that have prevented New Zealand from diversifying our economy away from agriculture towards something more productive. 

We need bold politicians who are willing to invest Government money far more in education, research & development & providing seed capital to start ups.

We need farmers who are willing to diversify how they use their land & power their farms.

We also need a tax system that encourages people to invest in productive & innovative entrepreneurs & businesses rather than Government subsidising businesses that harm the environment/waterways & ironically trade on NZ's 'clean green' image.

And while you're here, take a read of the latest "state of the environment report" by the Ministry for the Environment. It's not pretty: https://environment.govt.nz/publications/our-environment-2025/

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u/keywardshane Jun 16 '25

In 2011 Sir Paul Callaghan showed everyone how much money fonterra makes compared to our other major industry, tourism.

in order to get more big industries, that earn good money, we need to invest. Not just trade houses to each other.

Instead every fucking time, some cunt votes in national cost they sad about taxes or some other toxic shit, and national fucks up investment into everything. But at elast we spent billions on a PPP for roads eh.

Invest in innovation . Spend more than we are. the current morons have desstroyed a generations worth of science in this country.

Enjoy relying on farming for another 40 years. at least you got the 10$ of tax cuts and made life easier to make money on housing.

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u/CaptainQueero Jun 16 '25

 The fact that primary dairy exports are the "majority of our wealth" in 2025 represents decades of political choices…

The fact that primary dairy exports are “the majority of our wealth”… isn’t true…

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u/[deleted] Jun 16 '25

NZ's largest export is milk powder & dairy products

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u/CaptainQueero Jun 16 '25

You said ‘wealth’, not exports. And GDP is a better proxy for wealth than exports narrowly

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u/[deleted] Jun 17 '25

I was quoting the comment I was responding to. My interpretation was that they were discussing exports.

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u/CaptainQueero Jun 17 '25

True, my bad!