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Former speaker and High Commissioner to Ireland, Lockwood Smith.
New Zealand's Ambassador to Ireland, Sir Lockwood Smith, says NZ has the kind of innovative agritech businesses that interest farmers in Ireland.
New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) has for the first time exhibited at the Irish National Ploughing Championships, near Tullamore, County Offaly (Ireland midlands), on September 20-22.
Sir Lockwood told Dairy News at the event that NZ is exploring where its agritech businesses can be involved. Ireland has a similar farming system to NZ's so it’s natural that several NZ high-tech agri companies were at Tullamore.
The ploughing champs resemble NZ National Fieldays, with a massive array of farm equipment and technology visited by about 250,000. Notably different, though, is that the event is held every two years in a different location; it has no permanent venue but still crowds visit from all over Ireland.
Some dedicated souls are interested in the ploughing but the main attraction for visitors is the mass of exhibits.
Sir Lockwood says the Irish realise innovation is crucial to the sustainability of their farming industry and that R&D is very important. And though Irish and NZ farmers individually have concerns about markets, there is a lot of room for working together as NZ has done with US sheep producers. The similarity of farming in Ireland and NZ should help foster such cooperation, he says.
Brexit remains a hot topic in Ireland but it is too early to predict how the issue will pan out.
“The British government is exploring a range of approaches to the EU. We are working with them closely because of our experience in international trade negotiations. We are seen as a world leader in trade liberalisation, so the UK government is looking to us for help."
One issue to be resolved is whether or not the UK will have a customs union with the EU and what that might mean to trade with other countries.
The Irish Minister of State for Rural Communities says his country and New Zealand face very similar challenges on a range of issues related to agriculture, including climate change, biodiversity and rural depopulation.
New Zealand’s wine industry is in a unique position, thanks to 30 years of SWNZ, says New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Global Sustainability Lead Florence Van Dyke. “Because you’ve done your homework; you are one of the few industries that actually have the stats.”
Farmer and former politician Sir Lockwood Smith is questioning the way that methane emissions from livestock are measured in NZ.
In the rural landscapes of New Zealand and Ireland, a shared agricultural heritage thrives, built on a strong mixture of tradition and innovation, with mirror image climates earning both countries global acclaim for their food quality and sustainable agriculture.
MPI director general Ray Smith reckons NZ has a lot to learn from the Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority – called Teagasc (pronounced ‘Chog us’).
Chinese textile company Saibosi has partnered with Wools of New Zealand to put the 'farm to floor' story of New Zealand wool rugs on screen for its customers.
Showcasing the huge range of new technologies and science that is now available was one of the highlights at last week's National Fieldays.
Coby Warmington, 29, a farm manager at Waima Topu Beef near Hokianga was named at the winner of the 2025 Ahuwhenua Young Maori Farmer Award for sheep and beef.
Northlanders scooped the pool at this year's prestigious Ahuwhenua Trophy Awards - winning both the main competition and the young Maori farmer award.
Red meat farmers are urging the Government to act on the growing number of whole sheep and beef farm sales for conversion to forestry, particularly carbon farming.
The days of rising on-farm inflation and subdued farmgate prices are coming to an end for farmers, helping lift confidence.
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