Time to flip the levy-payer industry-good body model
OPINION: Industry good organisations have long played a key role in supporting New Zealand’s primary industries.
Aucklanders face a $1.1 billion economic hit unless they curb their voracious appetite for building houses on top-quality, horticultural land.
That’s the worst-case scenario in a report by Deloitte for Horticulture New Zealand, made public at Parliament last week. It paints a gloomy picture for residents of the city of sails (sales?) as urban sprawl gobbles up the land that feeds them.
The report investigates the plight of the ‘Pukekohe hub’ -- 4359ha on the far southwestern fringe of Auckland where vegetables are grown for the city, other regions and for export.
The region is seriously threatened by urban sprawl.
The report notes that while the Pukekohe hub makes up only 3.8% of the value of all NZ land in horticultural production, it accounts for 26% of the total dollar value of vegetables grown in NZ.
The report shows commercial growers’ have limited ability to respond to production constraints. It says any more land restrictions in the next 25 years would cause serious economic loss and 4500 jobs would be squandered. Fruit and vegetable growing would drop by up to 55% and vegetable prices would rise by an estimated 58%, so that a lettuce could cost a consumer up to $5.55.
Conversely, the report says, if rigid land-use rules were eased elsewhere in Auckland region to prevent the Pukekohe land being lost to housing, the region would be able to supply Auckland’s estimated population of 2.2 million by 2043.
It recommends devising ways to better balance urban and rural environments, including technology to manage intensification of cropping and environmental limits.
Newly elected Federated Farmers meat and wool group chair Richard Dawkins says he will continue the great work done his predecessor Toby Williams.
Hosted by ginger dynamo Te Radar, the Fieldays Innovation Award Winners Event put the spotlight on the agricultural industry's most promising ideas.
According to DairyNZ's latest Econ Tracker update, there has been a rise in the forecast breakeven milk price for the 2025/26 season.
Despite the rain and a liberal coating of mud, engines roared, and the 50th Fieldays Tractor Pull Competition drew crowds of spectators across the four days of the annual event.
Nationwide rural wellbeing programme, Farmstrong recently celebrated its tenth birthday at Fieldays with an event attended by ambassador Sam Whitelock, Farmers Mutual Group (FMG), Farmstrong partners, and government Ministers.
Six industry organisations, including DairyNZ and the Dairy Companies Association (DCANZ) have signed an agreement with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to prepare the country for a potential foot and mouth outbreak.
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