New Waikato medical school backed by rural sector
Rural health advocates say the Government's decision to establish a new medical school at the University of Waikato augurs well for the rural sector.
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.
Booming primary sector exports are helping lift earnings for farm service providers.
The world is waking up to the disadvantages of carpets derived from petrochemicals, creating opportunities for New Zealand strong wool.
The red meat sector finds itself in "a very rare set of circumstances", says Federated Farmers meat and wool industry chair Richard Dawkins.
Agrisea NZ has appointed Craig Hudson as it's new chief growth officer.
State farmer Landcorp, trading as Pamu, is a forecasting a full-year net profit of around $100 million.
Tony Aitken, chief executive of Ruralco, has been awarded the Excellence in Business Leadership Award at the ANZ Business of the Year Awards.

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