US removes reciprocal tariff on NZ beef
Red meat farmers and processors are welcoming a US Government announcement - removing its reciprocal tariffs on a range of food products, including New Zealand beef.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) has appointed Mark Polson as its new Associate Director on the board, commencing 1 November.
Polson runs Waipuna Farms, his family’s sheep and beef farming business, which has 25,000 stock across three properties in the Whanganui region.
After ten years of corporate and general management roles in the New Zealand agribusiness sector, he returned to the grassroots farming of his family farm.
“I am looking forward to developing my governance skills through the Associate Director role and bringing my experience to add value at a national level through our key industry body, as we navigate to grow and sustain a profitable future for our sector,” says Polson.
B+LNZ chair Kate Acland says Polson will make a welcome addition to the team.
“We had a strong response to our call for applications to this fixed-term role and were really impressed by the calibre of young leaders looking to step up and help in the governance of our sector,” says Acland.
“Mark will bring a mix of hands-on farming experience along with a strong background in agricommerce,” she says. “His collaborative leadership and strategic thinking skills, coupled with a passion to further our rural communities, will be a great addition to the B+LNZ Board and we hope this experience will help him further his ambitions to serve our sector.”
Polson joins a board of six farmer-elected directors, two meat industry-appointed directors and one independent director.
Virtual fencing and herding systems supplier, Halter is welcoming a decision by the Victorian Government to allow farmers in the state to use the technology.
DairyNZ’s latest Econ Tracker update shows most farms will still finish the season in a positive position, although the gap has narrowed compared with early season expectations.
New Zealand’s national lamb crop for the 2025–26 season is estimated at 19.66 million head, a lift of one percent (or 188,000 more lambs) on last season, according to Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s (B+LNZ) latest Lamb Crop report.
Farmers appear to be cautiously welcoming the Government’s plan to reform local government, according to Ag First chief executive, James Allen.
The Fonterra divestment capital return should provide “a tailwind to GDP growth” next year, according to a new ANZ NZ report, but it’s not “manna from heaven” for the economy.
Fonterra's Eltham site in Taranaki is stepping up its global impact with an upgrade to its processed cheese production lines, boosting capacity to meet growing international demand.

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