HortNZ levy vote looming
Commercial fruit and vegetable growers are being urged to their say in the upcoming levy referendum to enable Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ) to continue its work for the sector.
Horticulture New Zealand’s grower members have elected two new directors to their board: John Cook and Mike Smith, both kiwifruit growers from Bay of Plenty.
Cook has worked extensively in agriculture and horticulture -- owning a dairy and sheep farm – and has worked on and had investments in pipfruit, summerfruit and kiwifruit businesses in Australia and New Zealand. He has a Diploma in Agriculture from Lincoln University and was a recipient of a Kellogg Rural Leadership Scholarship.
Smith has been in the kiwifruit business for at least 20 years and has worked in dairy farming and the stock and station industry. He is chair of the Green Kiwifruit Growers Association and a member of the Bay of Plenty Young Fruitgrower committee.
The new board’s term starts at the HortNZ annual meeting in Rotorua on July 28.
The lobby group the Methane Science Accord (MSA) says it welcomes a recent government move to seek outside advice on reducing biological methane targets, rather than relying on recommendations made by the Climate Change Commission.
After a decade of consultation and court battles, Environment Southland has officially adopted a plan to prevent further decline in the region's water quality.
Farmers are throwing down the gauntlet to politicians - hold an independent inquiry into rural bank lending or face tough questions from the farming sector.
China’s Ambassador Wang Xiaolong says bilateral economic and trade cooperation between China and New Zealand has made significant and rapid progress.
South Waikato farm manager Ben Purua’s amazing transformation from gang life to milking cows was rewarded with the Ahuwhenua Young Maori Farmer award last night.