Bank inquiry on!
Farmers are cautiously welcoming the Government’s decision to hold an inquiry into rural banking.
Labour's newly appointed associate Minister for Agriculture says one of her main goals is to look at ways of attracting more young people to make a career in the primary sector.
Jo Luxton was recently promoted to a minister outside cabinet - as well as taking on the role of Minister of Customs and Associate Education.
Luxton says when she was on Parliament's Primary Production Select committee, an inquiry was started into the reasons so few young people seek out a career in sector. She'd like to get into the minds of young people and see what is putting them off agriculture.
"The challenge is, how do we break through that barrier and counter the negative messages such as dirty dairying and the like," Luxton told Rural News.
"Everyone in the primary sector has a responsibility to do that and get the positive messages across, including to people who influence young people - such as parents and teachers."
She says she's never met a farmer who wants to damage their land or leave it in a worse state than it is today.
Luxton concedes being a Labour MP in a rural area - she is MP for Rangitata - has its own set of challenges and accepts that some people will not agree with her party's policies. But she says despite criticism, her focus has been on building relationships within the community and with people from other political parties.
Before entering Parliament as the MP for Rangitata in 2017, Jo Luxton was working in early childhood. But before her first marriage ended, she and her ex husband were dairy farmers and she says she knows a fair bit about agriculture, especially dairying, and has a real passion for the sector.
The recent Tractor and Machinery Association (TAMA) conference in Wellington was signalling cautious optimism on the back of rising milk and store cattle prices and drops in interest rates.
The future of Fonterra is assured, so long as farmer owners stay engaged in the governance of the industry and the business they collectively own.
83 students from the Massey University School of Agriculture and Environment were awarded close to $400,000 in scholarships at a recent awards evening.
Zespri, in collaboration with ANL/CMA CGM, has initiated a feasibility study to investigate the potential for a low-emissions shipping corridor from Tauranga to Zeebrugge, Belgium, through the Panama Canal.
Farmer-led charity Meat the Need has expanded its offerings, following a new partnership.
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