Editorial: We are Trumped
OPINION: Nothing it seems can be done in the short term to get Donald Trump to change his mind about removing the unfair 15% tariffs that he’s imposed on New Zealand exports to the US.
Dynamic gains in both the New Zealand and United Kingdom economies could be made if some trade barriers were freed up.
Particularly in the agri-feed area, says NZ International Business Forum chair Malcolm Bailey.
The two economies could use a free trade agreement to build new global value chains serving markets in Asia and North America, he says.
The NZ International Business Forum (NZIBF) has released a discussion paper on the potential for a future free trade agreement (FTA) with the UK as it prepares to leave the European Union.
“The UK is one of our most steadfast and like-minded trade friends,” says Bailey. “We have deep shared history, culture and people-to-people links. Despite the huge shift in our trade to the Asia-Pacific, the UK remains our fifth-largest trading partner, fourth-biggest agri-food export destination and fifth-biggest source of investment.”
The NZIBF report was prepared by associate director Stephanie Honey on the basis of interviews with a wide range of business and other contacts over the last three months. The preparation of the NZIBF report was supported by BusinessNZ, Beef + Lamb NZ, Dairy Companies’ Association (DCANZ), Meat Industry Association, NZ Winegrowers and NZ Apples and Pears.
Bailey notes that the UK is a key market for many NZIBF members, especially for sheepmeat, wine, apples and honey, and with huge potential for dairy and beef.
The UK and NZ have both signalled an interest in an FTA. NZ was one of only four new potential partners identified by the UK earlier this year. The NZ Government has launched a consultation process for stakeholders.
Highlights from the report were presented recently by NZIBF executive director Stephen Jacobi to a business audience brought together by NZIBF member Russell McVeagh and the British NZ Business Association.
He says a future NZ-UK FTA could be a building block in eventual UK membership of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
“Perhaps one day it might even form part of a Commonwealth-wide trade arrangement. That’s why we need this deal to be as ambitious as possible.”
The discussion paper says interviews with NZ primary exporter stakeholders suggest that they are watching Brexit closely.
NZPork has appointed Auckland-based Paul Bucknell as its new chair.
The Government claims to have delivered on its election promise to protect productive farmland from emissions trading scheme (ETS) but red meat farmers aren’t happy.
Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks could have a detrimental impact on any country's rural sector, as seen in the United Kingdom's 2000 outbreak that saw the compulsory slaughter of over six million animals.
The Ministry for the Environment is joining as a national award sponsor in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA from next year).
Kiwis are wasting less of their food than they were two years ago, and this has been enough to push New Zealand’s total household food waste bill lower, the 2025 Rabobank KiwiHarvest Food Waste survey has found.
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