Editorial: Agri's mojo is back
OPINION: Good times are coming back for the primary industries. From sentiment expressed at Fieldays to the latest rural confidence survey results, all indicate farmer confidence at a near-record high.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang’s visit to New Zealand sparked a flurry of activity last week.
Of special interest was the news that a quantity of chilled meat will now be allowed into China on a six month trial basis — seen as a great step forward for our meat producers.
Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy and Trade Minister Todd McClay say it’s a win for exporters.
China is NZ’s second-largest market for beef and sheepmeat exports. Meat Industry Association (MIA) chief executive Tim Ritchie says China accounts for 35% of the volume of NZ’s sheepmeat and 17% of its beef exports.
“This latest deal will give NZ’s higher value chilled meat a foot in the door of China’s premium retail and foodservice sectors, as enjoyed by Australia since it signed its FTA with China in December 2015,” Ritchie says. “The onus will now be on the NZ industry to perform in a way that enables the rollout to occur at the end of our trial.”
Also, Prime Minister Bill English and Premier Li announced plans to upgrade the FTA between China and NZ.
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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