NZ red meat sector hits out at US tariff hike
New Zealand's red meat sector says the United States' decision to increase tariffs on New Zealand exports is disappointing.
Two formal arrangements signed in China mark a significant step forward in the supply of New Zealand halal meat to China and ongoing agricultural cooperation.
The is the announcement made by Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy.
The Ministry for Primary Industries and the China Certification and Accreditation Administration co-signed a new Halal Arrangement in Beijing this week, under which China will recognise New Zealand's halal regulation and certification regime for halal goods exported to China.
"This is a major step forward for New Zealand's halal meat producers, and it marks the first time China has recognised another county's halal regulatory and certification systems," says Guy.
"The arrangement will provide a competitive advantage in China for our red meat producers."
China is New Zealand's number one market for halal certified meat. In the 12 months to September 2015 around 77,672 tonnes of halal certified meat were exported to China, representing 33% of New Zealand's total halal certified exports.
Guy also co-signed a formal arrangement with China's Minister of Agriculture, Han Changfu, for New Zealand and China to develop an Agricultural Growth Partnership (AGP).
"The AGP aims to foster stronger relationships between New Zealand and China's agricultural sectors through coordinated, strategic cooperation.
"This is a public-private partnership that aims to utilise NZ Inc expertise in research and training to work on co-operation activities in areas such as agricultural policy exchange, dairy farmer training, livestock technology, animal health and disease control.
"These signings reinforce the strong and positive relationship we have between the two countries, and are the result of a lot of hard work on both sides."
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.
OPINION: Sir Lockwood Smith has clearly and succinctly defined what academic freedom is all about, the boundaries around it and the responsibility that goes with this privilege.
OPINION: For years, the ironically named Dr Mike Joy has used his position at Victoria University to wage an activist-style…
OPINION: A mate of yours truly has had an absolute gutsful of the activist group SAFE.