Hosking and worms

It's hard as a journalist who cares about agriculture to stomach seeing someone like Mike Hosking - a so in your pants National supporter - get so much coverage on issues like dairying.
This guy knows nada - I repeat nada about farming. He is arrogant and self serving and more and more his persona is one of a preacher lecturing dumb serfs than it is about quality journalism.
He reads a Rabobank report and takes what he wants out of it to push the National line and tells us we're all just misery merchants.
Well here's something for you Mike. I've been a rural journalist on and off for 16 years. I have grown up, existed and survived in rural communities and I live on a farm. I HATE MISERY. I am not a doom and gloom merchant but I am a REALIST.
I like other farmers operate on facts and figures today, not some projection down the path. What Hosking can't be bothered to grasp is the fact that even if prices improve by the middle of next year (and we have all been saying that) the dairy industry will still be suffering through until 2017.
You see, if he actually understood business, he would know that price turnarounds don't instantly equate to turnaround on farm. If he understood business he would know that we talk in 12 month periods, not weekly pay check periods.
And if he bothered to come to the regions and walk on farms like we do every day he would know there is serious unrelenting pain at the moment and our rural towns are set in some cases to combust.
I cannot believe how far he has been allowed to go on our televisions and radio without being hauled in by the bosses. These days Seven Sharp is more like Fox News than it is journalism.
Farmers don't deal in the negative either Mike - but you diminishing them and harping on is  just incredulous. Anyone can see National is playing the story down because it looks bad going into another election with a declining economy.
So I wonder when Mr Hosking will finally be up front and admit he's ready to stand for National and stop tarnishing the reputation of journalism in this country.
Be a man, come down on farm for a week, stay, do calving for no money - see how many cutbacks are being made, and the pain everyday families are feeling and learn how long it will take to recover. There is a problem - and one the Government needs to get its head out of its @@@@ on and do something creative to help. No-one wants hand-outs but no-one wants to be negated either.
The rubbish Key has spouted about the dairy industry only being 5 per cent of earnings does not help and neither does an ill informed National spouting former journalist.