Editorial: O Canada
OPINION: The Canadian government's love affair with its lifestyle dairy farmers has got it into trouble once again.
New Zealand dairy companies say their policy priorities for the incoming government are the same as they were for the previous Labour administration.
Dairy Companies Association of NZ (DCANZ) executive director Kimberly Crewther says the focus must be in the areas of trade, food safety, biosecurity and climate.
She says they strongly support NZ having a broad and ambitious trade strategy that creates opportunities for exporters to grow the value of their trade. She says this means continuing to engage with trading partners after free trade agreements (FTAs) are in place to ensure the agreements deliver on their intent.
Crewther says it includes making good use of the working mechanisms under the agreements to advance resolution of non-tariff barriers to trade and where these aren't part of th FTA utilising other review mechanisms to complete tariff elimination.
DCANZ says they also want new doors opened into markets which are currently not covered by FTAs.
According to Crewther, NZ is far from "peak FTA".
"There are obvious gaps in its bilateral and regional trade agreement coverage in relation to Middle East and Africa, South Asia, and the US. Working towards new high-quality agreements with these geographies will be of significant benefit to the economy," she says.
Crewther says growing NZ's relationship with India is strategically important. She says it's important to 'future proof' NZ's trade by continuing to invest in evolving the global rules-based system. She points out that the OECD recently highlighted that agricultural subsidy payments have reached $851 billion globally and the majority remains market distorting, with negative price outcomes for unsubsidised producers and for the environment.
"The work that MFAT and MPI officials are undertaking to seek new subsidy disciplines is important to us. It is also important that the NZ government works to ensure sustainability comparisons produced by inter-governmental bodies, like the FAO, to provide a fair reflection of our performance," she says.
On the home front, DCANZ wants the incoming government to resolve impediments to exports arising from our own domestic policy settings. Crewther says DCANZ has been seeking alleviation of the trade barrier imposed upon our exporters by NZ's own requirement for an exemption to export a product which does not fully adhere to this country's Food Code requirements. She says this even though the product does meet the legal requirements of the importing country or international Codex standards.
There are calls for the Reserve Bank to drop its banking capital rules, which Federated Farmers says is costing farmers a fortune.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) is calling on livestock farmers to take part in a survey measuring the financial impact of facial eczema (FE).
Soon farmers and working dog breeders will be able to have a dog that best suits their needs thanks to a team of researchers at Massey University.
OPINION: President Donald Trump's bizarre hard line approach to the world of what was once 'rules-based trade' has got New Zealand government officials, politicians and exporters on tenterhooks.
With wool prices steadily declining and shearing costs on the rise, a Waikato couple began looking for a solution for wool from their 80ha farm.
The Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ) team is looking forward to connecting with growers at the upcoming South Island Agricultural Field Days, says HortNZ chief executive Kate Scott.
OPINION: Donald Trump's focus on Canada is causing concern for the country’s dairy farmers.
OPINION: The fact that plant-based dairy is struggling to gain a market foothold isn’t deterring new entrants.