Nationwide rallies to be held to protest live export
As the new government considers lifting the ban on live exports, protestors are set to demonstrate against the policy.
Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor continued his overseas odyssey in the past week with multiple meetings in the US, Europe and Ireland - all aimed at sorting out trade issues which in the case of Europe dairy is a major issue.
The main purpose of his trip is to engage with the European Union (EU) with whom NZ is currently endeavouring to negotiate a free trade agreement (FTA). The negotiations have been progressing slowly and as yet the EU has not come up with a better offer than the one former EU trade commissioner Phil Hogan offered a year ago. That offer was widely condemned by NZ politicians and farming leaders as grossly inadequate and insulting.
On his way to Europe, O'Connor stopped off in Washington, D.C. to meet with the US Trade Representative Katherine Tai, becoming the first N government minister to visit the US since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Before leaving on his trip, Minister O'Connor said he'd be talking to US counterparts about how we can work together to keep our bilateral trade and economic relationship on its current growth trajectory. The US is NZs third largest trading partner.
In the past week, Damien O'Connor has held meetings in Sweden, Ireland and France.
Red meat farmers have dealt a major blow to their umbrella farmer body, Beef + Lamb New Zealand - rejecting an increase in directors’ fees.
The Climate Change Commission wants the new Government to reduce NZ Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction volumes as son as possible.
Southland-based Mataura Valley Milk can now lay claim to be the first all-electric dairy factory in New Zealand.
Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.
Meat co-operative Alliance Group has bagged four gold medals at the Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards, achieving top honours for every cut entered.
There is increasing evidence that dairy demand is on the upswing, according to Rabobank senior agricultural analyst Emma Higgins.
OPINION: It's not just a rural banking inquiry that farmers want. Freshwater farm plans are another major headache for farmers.
OPINION: The new Government may be farmer friendly, but it's not love, rather action that farmers want.