Damien O’Connor: NZ united on global trade
When it comes to international trade, politicians from all sides of the aisle are united, says Labour's trade spokesman Damien O'Connor.
Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor is praising the dairy sector’s contribution to New Zealand’s economy.
Speaking at the opening of Dairy Business 360 Conference in Hamilton this morning, O’Connor noted that dairy farmers showed “incredible work ethic and resistance to get the job done”.
He says the effort of the dairy sector is helping to keep the wheel of the country’s economy turning.
The food and fibre sector remains the powerhouse of NZ economy.
For year ending June 30, 2022, the food and fibre sector export revenue hit a record $53.3 billion, representing 11.1% of the country’s GDP.
He says dairy made up nearly half of that food and fibre export revenue with $22b.
“This is an impressive performance by the dairy sector in the face of challenges from Covid-19 to the Russia-Ukraine conflict and extreme weather conditions,” he says.
New Zealand's diverse cheesemaking talent shone brightly last night as the New Zealand Specialist Cheesemakers Association (NZSCA) crowned the champions of the 2026 New Zealand Cheese Awards.
Tracing has indicated that the source of the first velvetleaf find of the 2025-26 crop season, in Auckland, was likely maize purchased in the Waikato region.
Fish & Game New Zealand has announced its election priorities in its Manifesto 2026.
With the forage maize harvest started in Northland and the Waikato, the Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) is telling growers of later crops, or those further south, to start checking their maize crop maturity about three weeks prior to when they think they will start silage harvesting.
Irrigation NZ is warning that the government's Resource Management Act (RMA) reform risks falling short of its objectives unless water use for food production and water storage infrastructure are clearly recognised in the goals at the top of the new system.
More than five million trays, or 18,000 tonnes, of Zespri’s RubyRed Kiwifruit will soon be available for consumers across 16 markets this season.