Global trade war 'bad news for NZ'
A global trade war beckons, which is bad news for a small open economy like New Zealand, warns Mark Smith ASB senior economist.
The 0.4% drop in dairy price index overnight in the GlobalDairyTrade auction was likely Brexit's impact on dairy prices, says ASB rural economist, Nathan Penny.
The impact is likely to be modest and temporary, he says.
"We stick with our 2016/17 milk price forecasts $6/kgMS. However, we note that any further temporary setbacks to prices or alternatively the absence of an improvement in prices over coming months will make our forecast increasingly difficult to maintain," he says in his Quickview briefing.
WMP prices were down 1.6%, while in contrast SMP prices lifted 2.6%.
"In general, the fall was consistent with our expectations that Brexit's impact on dairy prices is likely to be modest and temporary. This reaction is in line with the similarly modest agricultural market reaction to date. Moreover, the Brexit doesn't change agricultural or dairy market fundamentals, so we wouldn't expect markets to react much anyway."
New Zealand's TBfree programme has made great progress in reducing the impact of the disease on livestock herds, but there’s still a long way to go, according to Beef+Lamb NZ.
With much of the North Island experiencing drought this summer and climate change projected to bring drier and hotter conditions, securing New Zealand’s freshwater resilience is vital, according to state-owned GNS Science.
OPINION: Otago farmer and NZ First MP Mark Patterson is humble about the role that he’s played in mandating government agencies to use wool wherever possible in new and refurbished buildings.
For Wonky Box co-founder Angus Simms, the decision to open the service to those in rural areas is a personal one.
The golden age of orcharding in West Auckland was recently celebrated at the launch of a book which tells the story of its rise, then retreat in the face of industry change and urban expansion.
Everyone from experienced veterinarians and young professionals to the Wormwise programme and outstanding clinics have been recognised in this year’s New Zealand Veterinary Association (NZVA) awards. As part of a series looking at this year’s rural winners, Leo Argent talked with Ginny Dodunski, winner of the Veterinary Impact Award for raising the profile of the Wormwise programme.