Industrial Hemp Regulations Revoked as New Zealand Opens New Era for Hemp Industry
From last week, the Industrial Hemp Regulations 2006 have been revoked.
NZ is an emerging leader in the provision of ag technology — providing for countries that increasingly need to feed growing populations, Primary Industry Minister Nathan Guy told a conference in Beijing yesterday.
"We recognise that increased trade is not just about more products being exported, it's about an exchange of knowledge, expertise, technology and services, and investment," he told the Development Research Centre Food Security and Food Safety Strategy Summit.
He said New Zealand and China's primary sectors were becoming increasingly interconnected through two-way investment and lengthening supply chains.
"Building our own capacity in isolation is not enough – we need to work with our partners to ensure a stable supply of food for our region," he said.
"Strengthening cooperation is a major focus of New Zealand's and China's 'Comprehensive Strategic Partnership'. We are focussed on consolidating and expanding cooperation in agriculture, including strengthening cooperation in trade, supporting the capability-building of China's dairy sector, and implementing the new Food Supervisory and Traceability Cooperation Programme.
"This has been evidenced by the significant number of cooperation programmes that we have targeted to China's agricultural goals in areas where New Zealand has world class expertise.
"In particular, we have focused our efforts on technical cooperation in dairy, as China seeks to consolidate the recent gains it has made in the productivity and commercialisation of its dairy sector."
Forestry Minister Todd McClay has today congratulated the winners of the 2026 Growing Native Forests Champions Awards at Fieldays.
The Government has announced $60,000 to provide one-off grants of $1,000 to each of the 60 New Zealand Young Farmers (NZYF) clubs across the country.
New Zealand’s rural sector has once again demonstrated its generosity, with the second Rural Industry Leaders Dinner, Debate and Auction raising an impressive $400,000 for the Rural Support Trust.
There has been another twist to the Federated Farmers annual election fiasco.
Analysis of decades of research has revealed the implementation of good farming practices plays a critical role in reducing nutrient losses to improve freshwater outcomes.
Yesterday the Government used the opening of Fieldays to announce a major investment, as part of its Land Use Flexibility package, to support a more productive and sustainable future across six sectors including dairy.
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