Editorial: Agri's mojo is back
OPINION: Good times are coming back for the primary industries. From sentiment expressed at Fieldays to the latest rural confidence survey results, all indicate farmer confidence at a near-record high.
A big crowd of 28,058 turned up to the first day of the NZ National Agricultural Fieldays' 48th year yesterday.
Fieldays was officially opened by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Bill English, along with Te Radar and New Zealand National Fieldays Society chief executive, Peter Nation.
"Fieldays aims to bring town and country together, and this is the real foundation for growth in the industry. When you provide a platform for so many different perspectives to come together to achieve a common goal, that's the true meaning of collaboration, and we're proud to facilitate this over these four days." says Nation.
Visitors also had the chance to get to know the Rural Bachelors and saw them complete the first two on-site challenges, including a quiz, and the much anticipated blind dates.
Although most of the Bachelors didn't score very well in the Blind Date Challenge, it looks like love could be on the horizon for a few of them.
The audience's favourite answer in the quiz came from Tasmanian Peter Damen, who when asked what the biggest pest-protected mountain in New Zealand was, answered "Mount Teriyaki".
The two Australian Bachelors, Peter and Rob Ewing, then treated the audience to an impromptu musical performance of Waltzing Matilda.
Cambridge foodies Belinda MacDonald and Neena Truscott joined us in the Kiwi's Best Kitchen Theatre. They delighted visitors with their innovative, healthy recipes and talked about their new book, (which is yet to be named) is set to be released in October.
The pair want to teach everyone to look at food in a different way. "It's not like we're being wacky or radical, this stuff used to be done."
The Careers and Education Hub was opened by Minister of Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment, Steven Joyce, alongside Minister for Primary Industries, Nathan Guy. They both emphasised the importance of educating students on the different career opportunities within the agriculture industry.
Innovation and education are two founding pillars of Fieldays, and the Careers and Education Hub gives young people a chance to talk to leading agribusinesses.
"If you take the opportunity to get involved with the Careers and Education Hub today, you will learn many things that we hope will encourage you to think strategically about a career in the primary sector," says Guy.
New Zealand milk production is off to a strong start, with the first month of the 2025/26 dairy season recording a whopping 17.8% jump in milk production, compared to the previous season.
With adverse weather set to rain down on the Top of the South, the Bay of Plenty and parts of Northland, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says farmers, foresters, and growers need to prepare for possible challenges.
Keep up with innovation and e-commerce in China or risk losing market share. That was the message delivered at the China Business Summit in Auckland this month.
Meat Industry Association (MIA) independent chair Nathan Guy says getting meat processors involved has been a shot in the arm for the sector's key marketing initiative into China, Taste Pure Nature.
Listed carpet manufacturer, Bremworth is undertaking a $6 million expansion at its Napier plant more than two years after the site was heavily damaged by Cyclone Gabrielle.
Federated Farmers is vowing to keep the big banks accountable for their actions and to continue pushing for meaningful change in the rural lending sector.
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