The Country's Best Bits 2020: Top opinion pieces of the year

Jane Smith (left), Derek Daniell, Dr Jacqueline Rowarth and Dr Doug Edmeades. Photo / File

Opinions are always popular on The Country so it's no surprise that the most read article of 2020 was also an opinion piece.

Urban New Zealand - you have been lied to by North Otago farmer Jane Smith was by far the most read story of 2020 - so it makes it to the number one opinion piece on this list as well.

The best of the rest tackled issues to do with vegans, regenerative farming, the environment and the economy.

Using science to question governmental policy also featured heavily in 2020, as environmental reforms around agriculture started to worry farmers.

Here are The Country's top five opinion pieces of 2020

Jane Smith: Urban New Zealand - you have been lied to

Environmentalist and farmer Jane Smith is well-known on The Country for her forthright interview style, and this translated to her writing, in the most popular opinion piece and article of 2020.

Read all about it here: Jane Smith: Urban New Zealand - you have been lied to

Dr Jacqueline Rowarth: The moral dilemma facing vegans

Coming in at number two was this collaborative effort between Adjunct Professor at Lincoln University Dr Jacqueline Rowarth and Canterbury-based nutrition scientist Dr Graeme Coles.

Rowarth is a regular contributor to The Country and her opinion pieces are always popular. Here, she and Coles looked into whether vegans damage the planet in their attempts to protect animal welfare.

Read all about it here: Dr Jacqueline Rowarth: The moral dilemma facing vegans

Dr Doug Edmeades: Govt's N fertiliser cap ignores basic science

The third most popular opinion piece of 2020 came from independent soil scientist Dr Doug Edmeades.

Here, Edmeades took a look at the problems with the Government's nitrogen fertiliser caps - labelling the policy "contemptible, at this Covid time."

Read Dr Edmeades' column here: Dr Doug Edmeades: Govt's N fertiliser cap ignores basic science

Dr Jacqueline Rowarth: Is regenerative agriculture really the way forward?

Coming in at number four, Dr Jacqueline Rowarth made another appearance in the top five opinion pieces of the year.

Here, she looked into regenerative agriculture, a popular topic in 2020, as the Government looked at regenerative and organic farming practices as a possible solution to tackling environmental issues.

Read all about it here: Dr Jacqueline Rowarth: Is regenerative agriculture really the way forward?

Derek Daniell: Sink or swim? Where is the New Zealand economy headed?

Rounding out the top five is Derek Daniell, a Wairarapa farmer and one of New Zealand's leading sheep breeders.

In this opinion piece, Daniell challenged the Government's thinking on water, biodiversity, trees and climate change.

His take home message was - don't handicap food production with stupid regulations.

Read Derek Daniell's opinion piece here: Derek Daniell: Sink or swim? Where is the New Zealand economy headed?