Feds support live animal exports
Federated Farmers have reiterated their support for the coalition Government to abolish the present ban on the live export of animals.
The Government is sinking nearly $1 million into a major horticulture project in Northland to enhance Māori-owned land in the province.
Agriculture and Rural Communities Minister Damien O’Connor claims the $975,000 will help members of the Tupuānuku Collective explore the potential of their land and to create jobs.
The collective is made up of representatives from 13 whānau, hapū and iwi landowners – covering more than 35,000 hectares from the Far North down to the Kaipara district. It was funded by MPI’s Māori Agribusiness extension programme.
O’Connor says Northland’s potential to grow food is substantial and this investment will enable landowners to get on-the-ground support to identify the best crops to grow in their district and to assess the availability of water for irrigation.
“Accessing water and building the necessary infrastructure, such as dams, will play a vital role in lifting the productivity of this whenua, especially as our climate changes. A key part of the two-year project will be to deliver a workforce capability development strategy to support the creation of new jobs,” he says.
O’Connor says contractors will investigate water accessibility and storage, map soil types and support the collective’s members to lodge consents and get investment ready. He adds that the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) is also supporting the project by helping to determine workforce requirements and training needed to provide yearround employment.
In 2020, horticulture was worth $386 million to the Northland region, with kiwifruit and avocados the largest revenue and export earners. In total, NZ earns $6.7 billion annually from horticulture.
O’Connor says since 2019, MPI’s Māori Agribusiness team has partnered with Māori clusters across the country, helping Māori landowners access support and expertise. He claims this has resulted in more than 30 approved whenua/land development proposals.
Extra regionally-based advisers and facilitators will also be hired to support the expansion of Māori agribusiness services into new regions across the country.
Phoebe Scherer, a technical manager from the Bay of Plenty, has won the 2025 Young Grower of the Year national title.
The Fencing Contractors Association of New Zealand (FCANZ) celebrated the best of the best at the 2025 Fencing Industry Awards, providing the opportunity to honour both rising talent and industry stalwarts.
Award-winning boutique cheese company, Cranky Goat Ltd has gone into voluntary liquidation.
As an independent review of the National Pest Management Plan for TB finds the goal of complete eradication by 2055 is still valide, feedback is being sought on how to finish the job.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand has launched an AI-powered digital assistant to help farmers using the B+LNZ Knowledge Hub to create tailored answers and resources for their farming businesses.
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