Editorial: Taming Trump
OPINION: The world is bracing for a trade war between the two biggest economies.
Food Safety Minister Jo Goodhew has welcomed the opening of the Fonterra Ying Hub in Ying County, Shuozhou City, Shanxi Province, China.
“The Fonterra Ying Hub represents a significant investment in Ying County,” says Goodhew.
“Once fully operational, the Hub will farm up to 30,000 cows, of which 16,000 will be milking cows.
“Across the hub’s three farms almost 400 local people have been employed and around 85% of the farm feed is sourced locally.
“All of this work represents a massive opportunity to boost the local economy and enable important social development outcomes.”
Opening of the Hub complements other activity in the area that will boost local capability and the local economy. For example, more than 1,000 local farmers have been trained in areas such as modern scale farming management, cattle breeding and disease control. As a result of Fonterra’s farmer training programme in collaboration with the Chinese government and farming industry.
“The opening of the Hub represents a significant investment by Fonterra in their Chinese operations,” Goodhew says.
“I would also like to express my thanks and gratitude to the Ying County local government and villagers. Without their ongoing support, this milestone would not have been achievable.”
The chair of Beef + Lamb NZ, Kate Acland says the rush appears to be on to purchase farms and convert them to forestry before new rules limiting this come into effect.
New Zealand farmers will face higher urea prices this year, mainly on the back of tight global supply and a weak Kiwi dollar.
Andy Caughey of Wool Impact says a lot of people in NZ have been saying it's crazy that we are not using natural fibres in our buildings and houses.
Former chief executive of Beef+Lamb New Zealand Scott Champion will head the Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) from July.
Avian flu getting into New Zealand's poultry industry is the biosecurity threat that is most worrying for Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard.
The annual domestic utilisation of wool will double to 30,000 tonnes because of the edict that government agencies should use woollen fibre products in the construction of new and refurbished buildings.