Maori rural consultants wanted
A landmark Māori agribusiness programme has been launched by Waikato University in partnership with the NZ Institute of Primary Industry Managers (NZIPIM).
Food issues will be dissected in the final of the University of Waikato Winter Lecture Series this week.
In from paddock to plate, two academics and a long-time chef will look at different aspects of food production, how it impacts the regional economy and people's pockets.
Professor of Agribusiness Jacqueline Rowarth thinks we should be paying more for food.
"As they do in many other countries in hidden ways such as taxation, allowing farmers to invest in technology that improves productivity, efficiency and farm sustainability," she says.
Professor Darrin Hodgetts thinks people are paying enough for food already and that food as a human right is increasingly not being realised by a growing number of New Zealanders.
Chef David Kerr, currently unable to cook after breaking his arm in six places at Fieldays, says he feels more like a scientist than a chef these days as more and more of his diners have allergies or food intolerance of some kind or other.
The lecture is on Wednesday, August 29 at 6pm in the Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts.
Among the regular exhibitors at last month’s South Island Agricultural Field Days, the one that arguably takes the most intensive preparation every time is the PGG Wrightson Seeds site.
Two high producing Canterbury dairy farmers are moving to blended stockfeed supplements fed in-shed for a number of reasons, not the least of which is to boost protein levels, which they can’t achieve through pasture under the region’s nitrogen limit of 190kg/ha.
Buoyed by strong forecasts for milk prices and a renewed demand for dairy assets, the South Island rural real estate market has begun the year with positive momentum, according to Colliers.
The six young cattle breeders participating in the inaugural Holstein Friesian NZ young breeder development programme have completed their first event of the year.
New Zealand feed producers are being encouraged to boost staff training to maintain efficiency and product quality.
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