Editorial: Live animal exports fight
OPINION: A public battle is playing out between supporters and opponents of live animal experts.
An upgraded free trade agreement (FTA) between New Zealand and China comes into force from April 7.
"This upgrade is a significant step for us and forms part of a body of work we're doing to drive our economic recovery from Covid," Trade and Export Minister Damien O'Connor says.
The date was agreed in a virtual meeting last week between O'Connor and his Chinese counterpart, Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao.
Goods and services exports between China and New Zealand reached $20.1 billion in the year ending June 2021. O'Connor says New Zealand businesses will benefit from up-to-date rules underpinning trade.
"This upgrade modernises the original 2008 New Zealand-China FTA to ensure it remains fit for purpose," he says.
The upgrade also includes new market access commitments in goods and services, and additional trade facilitation measures.
"In terms of goods, the upgrade will deliver further market access improvements, resulting in tariff-free access for 99 percent of New Zealand's $4 billion wood and paper trade to China, once fully implemented.
"Our existing FTA will also be augmented by new chapters in e-commerce, competition policy, government procurement and the environment."
A leading farm consultant says it's likely the dairy season in the Waikato will come to a premature end because of the drought.
Dairy farming siblings Manoj Kumar and Sumit Kamboj's message to other immigrants is simple - work hard and you will be rewarded.
Last season was a mixed bag for Waikato contractors, with early planted forage maize, planted on the dry soils around Cambridge, doing badly after germination and failing to meet potential, says Jeremy Rothery, Jackson Contracting.
A marked turnaround in the financial performance of Canterbury milk company Synlait has halted a threatening exodus of farmer suppliers.
Unnecessary box ticking and red tape are set to go under the Government's new RMA reforms - much to the delight of farmers.
An Auckland man who illegally killed and sold pigs and a chicken has been fined $8,000.
OPINION: Feds Southland 'pres' Jason Herrick and colleagues who continue the good fight against bureaucratic madness on behalf of farmers,…
OPINION: Noted economist and self-promoter Cameron Bagrie took one look at KPMG's recently released Financial Institutions Performance Survey on banks…