Industrial Hemp Regulations Revoked as New Zealand Opens New Era for Hemp Industry
From last week, the Industrial Hemp Regulations 2006 have been revoked.
Associate Agriculture Minister Meka Whaitiri says new Government funding will help women pave the way to farming for the future.
She says the Government has committed $473,261 over two years through the Ministry for Primary Industries’ (MPI’s) Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures fund to “enable and empower women working in the dairy sector”.
“Supporting these women to reach their farming leadership potential will deliver long lasting economic, social, cultural and environmental benefits to New Zealand,” says Whaitiri.
“This programme aims to create more value, develop new practices and support our extremely capable rural women into the future, it will also ensure diversity in the primary sector leadership of Aotearoa NZ which I welcome.”
The funding will support the Dairy Women’s Network (DWN) to leading the Farming for the Future Leader’s Programme, which will pilot a programme of wrap-around services for women.
These services include the development of training content and a central knowledge hub, as well as coaching to support female business group leaders in the dairy sector.
The programme will support DWN members to innovate and implement solutions to problems shared by their farm businesses. They will be able to share their knowledge with their wider communities and with DWN’s 11,000 members.
“The members of the programme will create a positive impact that is far reaching, by providing channels to share solutions and innovations with their businesses, partners, farm teams, neighbours and communities,” Whaitiri says.
She says the Government is committed to working with regional communities to help them reach their economic and social potential.
“These strong social connections and access to tools and support from this programme will help build resilience, both for these women and for their farming businesses,” Whaitiri says.
There has been another twist to the Federated Farmers annual election fiasco.
Analysis of decades of research has revealed the implementation of good farming practices plays a critical role in reducing nutrient losses to improve freshwater outcomes.
Yesterday the Government used the opening of Fieldays to announce a major investment, as part of its Land Use Flexibility package, to support a more productive and sustainable future across six sectors including dairy.
Dairy farmers need to be high quality partners to the beef industry, says Prem Maan, the co-founder and executive chairman of the dairy corporate Southern Pastures.
The regions that will host clinical training for the University of Waikato's new medical school from 2028 have been confirmed, alongside a new nationwide approach to clinical placements for medical students.
The bumpy road you travel on teachs you a lot, believes Don Watson. And that’s the message he and wife Kirsten, supreme winners of the Auckland Ballance Farm Environment Awards, aim to pass on to their three sons.

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