It's all about economics
OPINION: According to media reports, the eye-watering price of butter has prompted Finance Minister Nicola Willis to ask for a 'please explain' from her former employer Fonterra.
Farmers, foresters and orchardists have just a few days left to complete the official agricultural production census, run by Statistics NZ in partnership with MPI.
This large-scale census is done every four years with the purpose of providing vital insights and the most up-to-date data about agriculture's contribution to New Zealand. It is compulsory for all large scale farming, foresty and horticultural businesses and is not a random survey.
The manager of the survey, Ana Krpo, says Stats NZ has a system that identifies all agricultural businesses in the above categories that meet the requirement for registering for GST, which is $60,000 turnover. Excluded from the survey are the likes of lifestyle farmers, beekeepers, worm farmers and others in minor agri-related operations.
Krpo says the agricultural statistics from the census benefit NZ by supporting evidence-based discussions and decision-making. She told Rural News this data is used by industry organisations, government, researchers, and the wider farming and growing community for industry forecasting, policy advice, planning and investment decisions, trade negotiations and national and international reporting.
All those required to participate in the census were posted out information packs in June. At that stage, they were given the option of doing the survey online or requesting a paper form.
The official deadline for completing the survey is July 19, although Stats NZ says it will accept some latecomers.
As the data is received by Stats NZ, it is collated and validated. The hope is that a provisional result focusing on major national issues will be released in December.
The final census results should be out in May 2023.
Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks could have a detrimental impact on any country's rural sector, as seen in the United Kingdom's 2000 outbreak that saw the compulsory slaughter of over six million animals.
The Ministry for the Environment is joining as a national award sponsor in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA from next year).
Kiwis are wasting less of their food than they were two years ago, and this has been enough to push New Zealand’s total household food waste bill lower, the 2025 Rabobank KiwiHarvest Food Waste survey has found.
OPINION: Sir Lockwood Smith has clearly and succinctly defined what academic freedom is all about, the boundaries around it and the responsibility that goes with this privilege.
DairyNZ says its plantain programme continues to deliver promising results, with new data confirming that modest levels of plantain in pastures reduce nitrogen leaching, offering farmers a practical, science-backed tool to meet environmental goals.
'Common sense' cuts to government red tape will make it easier for New Zealand to deliver safe food to more markets.
OPINION: For years, the ironically named Dr Mike Joy has used his position at Victoria University to wage an activist-style…
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