Industrial Hemp Regulations Revoked as New Zealand Opens New Era for Hemp Industry
From last week, the Industrial Hemp Regulations 2006 have been revoked.
MPI is wanting to provide guidance around potential contracts signed by small forest owners – many of whom are farm foresters.
It says there are approximately 14,000 of these small forest owners in New Zealand and many of them are farmers.
“Due to trees taking 25-30 years to be ready for harvest, many farmers may not be familiar with all the elements in the forestry cycle and could be vulnerable to exploitation,” says MPI’s Jurgen Muller.
“Most agricultural sectors have an annual cycle. This means farmers become familiar with most aspects of their business,” he explains.
“However, forestry is different. After planting your trees 25 years ago, you might now be approaching your first harvest and you are in unfamiliar territory. Your investment might be worth a lot of money and you need to make sure you maximise your profits.”
Muller says MPI is looking at what it can do to help inform small forest owners about their transactions throughout the forestry cycle and has created a survey to find out what might be the best way to support them.
He says the anonymous survey has 12 questions and estimates it takes less than 4 minutes to complete. To complete the survey, click on this link: https://surveyhero.com/c/210e8589
Farmers should be cautiously optimistic as the 2026/27 season kicks off, says DairyNZ.
RaboResearch senior analyst Emma Higgins expects the 2026/27 dairy season to be another profitable one.
The new dairy season is kicking off with plenty of risks to the forecast farmgate price, both upside and downside, says ANZ agricultural economist Matt Dilly.
A potential showdown between the top two Federated Farmers leaders looms at the farmer lobby's annual meeting later this month.
FarmIQ Systems has developed a free land management app to help remove barriers to New Zealand farmers and growers adopting digital tools.
Rural Women New Zealand has announced the winners of the 2026 NZI Rural Women Business Awards.

OPINION: While we're on the topic of lumberjacks, Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard has no doubt used a chainsaw hundreds of…
OPINION: To a chorus of crying greenies, and not a minute too soon, the Government has moved to put the…