Halter goes global, but NZ farmers remain core to innovation
Virtual fencing company Halter is going global but for founder Craig Piggott, New Zealand farmers will always remain their main partners.
AGRICULTURAL FIELDAYS 2014 will be a measure of how the agribusiness sector is gearing up to capitalise on growing export opportunities, according to New Zealand's largest agricultural lender, ANZ New Zealand.
"With an economic recovery in full swing and growing export demand for New Zealand agricultural products, the scene is set for farmers to again invest in the technology that will drive productivity," said Graham Turley, ANZ's managing director commercial & agri.
"Agri-business is New Zealand's most productive and successful business sector and it achieves this through ongoing investment in market leading technology. Agri businesses are only as successful as they are because they constantly innovate.
"This is why Fieldays plays such an important role. Increasingly it is an event where those who drive New Zealand's agricultural success go shopping for the ideas and technologies that lead to profitable, sustainable businesses with a clear pathway to growth, Turley says.
"New Zealand has the potential to capture $1.3 trillion more in agricultural exports between now and 2050. To realise that opportunity there is a need for up to $NZ340 billion in international and domestic investment to enable production growth and support farm turnover."
ANZ will be getting behind National Fieldays again as a strategic partner. ANZ is not only New Zealand's largest on-farm lender, but it is also the largest bank to agri supplier industries, processors and exporters. Its strategic partnership with Fieldays reflects ANZ's broad and long-term commitment to New Zealand agriculture.
"We've been sponsoring Fieldays for around 40 years, during which time millions have attended what has become a landmark event for agriculture in this country, and internationally," Turley says.
Farmer confidence has taken a slight dip according to the final Rabobank rural confidence survey for the year.
Former Agriculture Minister and Otaki farmer Nathan Guy has been appointed New Zealand’s Special Agricultural Trade Envoy (SATE).
Alliance Group has commissioned a new heat pump system at its Mataura processing plant in Southland.
Fonterra has slashed another 50c off its milk price forecast as global milk flows shows no sign of easing.
Meat processors are hopeful that the additional 15% tariff on lamb exports to the US will also come off.
Fears of a serious early drought in Hawke’s Bay have been allayed – for the moment at least.

OPINION: The release of the Natural Environment Bill and Planning Bill to replace the Resource Management Act is a red-letter day…
OPINION: Federated Farmers has launched a new campaign, swapping ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ for ‘The Twelve Pests of Christmas’ to…