Crazy
OPINION: Your canine crusader was truly impressed by the almost unanimous support given by politicians of all stripes in Parliament to the recent passing of legislation for the NZ/EU free trade deal.
Experienced trade negotiator Charles Finny believes reports relating to a free trade agreement with the UK are positive.
Finny says full credit should go to Agriculture and Trade Minister Damien O'Connor for this development.
"He has pretty much secured a really good deal with the UK off the back of what Australia has secured. As long as New Zealand can deliver a really good outcome on services and investment, then I think we are there."
Finny says the UK is looking like it could be a very exciting market for NZ companies that want to reinvest in that market. But he's not sure it is going to be as dominant as it was in the past.
He would like to see a really good deal with the EU as well. Finny doesn't want companies to focus entirely on the UK and forget about the EU. However, he concedes that the EU is "a longer term burn". That aside, he believes NZ should be trying very hard to get a deal done this year.
"What will be interesting is the quality of that deal compared with the UK deal, which - if it happens - will be very good for the NZ ag sector."
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.
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.