Feds report membership boost
Farmer lobby Federated Farmers is reporting a growth in membership, for the first time in decades.
Federated Farmers president, Wayne Langford says it was good to hear from the politicians and to learn more about international trade and consumer trends from other keynote speakers at last week's NZ Primary Industries Summit.
The session on trade agreements saw senior officials from the embassies of China, the UK, Australia and the EU talk about the opportunities for trade with their respective countries, and was an eye opener to many.
This sssion was particularly timely given it's expected that NZ and the EU will sign off the long-awaited FTA in the coming days when Chris Hipkins and Damien O'Connor are in Europe.
Over the two days, many topics were canvassed, including the latest consumer trends and the need for NZ to meet the new demands.
Ovrall, a stimulating, interesting election year conference.
New Zealand must continue to educate Chinese consumers about the unique qualities of its red meat products and how they differ from competitors, says Silver Fern Farms chief executive Dan Boulton.
There are opportunities outside the farmgate for young farmers to further develop their skills, says 2025 Primary Industries Emerging Leader Award winner Bridie Virbickas.
A brilliant result and great news for growers and regional economies. That's how horticulture sector leaders are describing the news that sector exports for the year ended June 30 will reach $8.4 billion - an increase of 19% on last year and is forecast to hit close to $10 billion in 2029.
Funding is proving crucial for predator control despite a broken model reliant on the goodwill of volunteers.
A major milestone on New Zealand's unique journey to eradicate Mycoplasma bovis could come before the end of this year.
We're working through it, and we'll get to it.