Cyclone-hit wool scourer reopens
The world's largest wool scouring facility, WoolWorks Awatoto plant in Napier, is back operating at full capacity.
Well before Cyclone Gabrielle struck, Richard Burke was advocating for a long-term sustainable infrastructure plan for the Tairawhiti region.
The cyclone brought to the fore a problem that has existed for decades, with the east coast constantly struggling to get a strong roading network in this vital farming and horticulture region.
Despite all the talk, about the need to improve the road, Burke feels the mentality of those who could change things is still in 'repair mode'. Having said that, he says one cannot fault the investment that has gone into repairing road infrastructure.
"But there doesn't appear to be emerging signs of a long-term approach to once and for all resolving some of the bigger issues around sustainable infrastructure that serves the needs of Tairawhiti," he says.
Burke says, before Covid struck, there was a group of local leaders aligned in their thinking on this, but this doesn't appear to exist today. For things to happen, says Burke, key local people need to get together and develop a strategy and plan that can be sold to central and local government.
Bankers have been making record profits in the last few years, but those aren’t the only records they’ve been breaking, says Federated Farmers vice president Richard McIntyre.
The 2023-24 season has been a roller coaster ride for Waikato dairy farmers, according to Federated Farmers dairy section chair, Mathew Zonderop.
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) director general Ray Smith says job cuts announced this morning will not impact the way the Ministry is organised or merge business units.
Scales Corporation is acquiring a number of orchard assets from Bostock Group.
Family and solidarity shone through at the 75 years of Ferdon sale in Otorohanga last month.
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has informed staff it will cut 391 jobs following a consultation period.