Honey sector strategy aiming for sweet spot
While confident that the apiculture sector can meet its target of doubling honey exports by 2030, chair of ApicultureNZ, Nathan Guy, says it will be challenging.
Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy has congratulated the National Fieldays Society for another successful event at Mystery Creek in Waikato.
The event attracted over 130,000 visitors, including 500 international guests from 42 different countries; expected to generate around $400 million into the New Zealand economy.
The four day Fieldays event kicked off on Tuesday night with Prime Minister John Key helping launch the Primary Industry 'Champions' initiative. This online campaign features Kiwi icons like Richie McCaw, Rob and Sonia Waddell, Sir David Fagan and many others.
"These well-known New Zealanders will help raise awareness of the primary sector and encourage young people to consider a career in this broad field," says Guy.
Ministers Steven Joyce and Guy officially opened the Fieldays Careers and Education Hub which provided a learning platform for urban and rural teenagers interested in the primary sector.
"I was very impressed by the eighty entrepreneurs that entered the innovation section. A lot of these ideas will be commercialised and help grow our agri-tech exports, which are worth over $1.2 billion per year," says Guy.
"The Situation Outlook for Primary Industries (SOPI) 2016 was released at Fieldays and proves how diversified the sector has become. While dairy export returns are lower, overall revenue has grown by $1 billon to nearly $37 billion. Strong growth in horticulture, beef, wool, forestry, food processing and seafood exports shows the primary sector in good heart.
"The Government also announced an extra $600,000 of funding to help strengthen local mental health networks for farmers and rural communities. This will help ensure we maintain the momentum achieved last year, while also putting a plan in place for the future."
A wide range of Ministers and MPs attended the Fieldays including Prime Minister John Key and Ministers Bill English, Steven Joyce, Paula Bennett, Jonathan Coleman, Todd McClay, Jo Goodhew and Louise Upston.
The country’s 4200 commercial fruit and vegetable growers will vote from May 14 on a new HortNZ levy.
Meat processor Alliance Group is asking farmer shareholders to inject more capital in order to remain a 100% co-operative.
A vet is calling for all animals to be vaccinated against a new strain of leptospirosis (lepto) discovered on New Zealand dairy farms in recent years.
Dairy
Rural banker Rabobank is partnering with Food Rescue Kitchen on a new TV series which airs this weekend that aims to shine a light on the real and growing issues of food waste, food poverty and social isolation in New Zealand.
Telco infrastructure provider Chorus says that it believes all Kiwis – particularly those in the rural areas – need access to high-speed, reliable broadband.
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