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Mike Petersen says the NZ approach of treating Trump respectfully and carefully is the right one.
Former special agricultural trade envoy Mike Petersen says meat exporters are going to have to be nimble and agile to take advantage of any opportunities that may arise in the chaos of the tariff crisis.
He says for NZ farmers the improved global prices for sheep, beef and dairy products are still looking firm. He says the agri-sector is booming now and is holding the NZ economy together.
"But there is no doubt there is huge uncertainty now that wasn't there twelve months ago," he told Rural News.
Petersen has a personal interest in horticulture as the chair of Scales Corporation. He says none of the turmoil caused by the tariff crisis is good for anyone, but horticulture is somewhat insulated because most of its exports are to markets in the Asia Pacfici region, the Middle East and Europe. But he says there are still concerns on the geopolitical front.
To the question 'what can NZ do about the 15% tariff rate?', the answer seems to be 'not much but get on and do the best we can'.
Petersen says NZ's experience as an exporter and an international trader puts us at an advantage over other countries, noting that most of our competitors' primary production is consumed domestically, whereas 90% of ours is exported. He says we are good at exporting, are nimble, and know how to shift product around and maximise any opportunities that arise.
"In the world of trade, NZ is looked upon as one of the pioneers. People come to us to understand about trade agreements and market access and systems verifications, so we have huge respect in the world of trade. When it comes to geopolitics, we are minnows, but in the world of trade, NZ punches well above its weight," he says.
In terms of what we could do, Petersen says buying aircraft from Boeing and increasing our defence spending may help.
"Who knows, maybe that's what Donald Trump is looking for," he says.
Petersen says the NZ approach of treating Trump respectfully and carefully is the right approach and taking an aggressive stance would not work.
"The last thing we want is to be sitting in the Oval Office while he rants and raves about the things he doesn't like about us, which he has done to others," he says.
Labour's Damien O'Connor questions whether the present government strategy of keeping its head down was the right one. However, he agrees that no one knows what sort of options for change there will be in the future.
News that MFAT officials and Trade Minister Todd McClay will travel to Washington to get more details about the 15% tariff comes as no surprise.
But former Trade Minister Tim Grosser says all they are doing is trying to get more details - not trying to negotiate. He says the talks will not produce an immediate change to what has happened.
"And frankly I don't think if Todd McClay had camped on the lawns of the White House in the last month it would not have made any difference to what we know now," he says.
Trade Minister Todd McClay says his officials plan to meet their US counterparts every month from now on to better understand how the 15% tariff issue there will play out, and try and get some certainty there for our exporters about the future.
Scales Corporation has today reported its results for the first half of the 2025 financial year, revealing what it says are outstanding results from its horticulture and logistics divisions.
"Unwelcome" is how the chief executive of the Horticulture Export Authority (HEA), Simon Hegarty, describes the 15% tariff that the US has imposed on primary exports to that country.
New Zealand's dairy industry is right to call out Donald Trump over the damage the additional 15% tariff the US is imposing on our exports but also imposition on lower tariffs on our competitors.
Donald Trump's uncompromising tariff policy is set to put New Zealand dairy exports to the US under huge pressure.
Ravensdown South Island shareholders have voted Jane Smith to the co-operative board for a three-year term.
Federated Farmers say Environment Canterbury's decision to declare a 'nitrate emergency' is a shameless political stunt that won't help anyone.
Academic and former Fonterra director Nicola Shadbolt has been elected as LIC director.
New Zealand Winegrowers chief executive Philip Gregan has announced his plans to retire in June 2026, marking 43 years of service to the New Zealand wine industry.
It's 100 years for the Hoban family’s Parham Hill Corriedale stud and times continue to change.
Farmers want the Government to scrap controversial freshwater rules that "put river spirits and ideology ahead of practical water use", says Federated Farmers board member Mark Hooper.
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