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.
NICK DROMGOOL, acting chief executive of New Zealand's National Fieldays – the Southern Hemisphere's largest agricultural show - visited Ireland's Ploughing Championships this week.
He was a guest of the National Ploughing Association and Enterprise Ireland, the Trade and Investment board of the Irish Government.
Dromgool had the opportunity to meet with Ireland's Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney, and senior officials of the NPA, to discuss the deepening relationship between the two agriculturally-based countries.
With the championships expected to attract over 200,000 visitors over a three-day period, Dromgool visited leading agricultural machinery firms, many of whom have exhibited at Fieldays. He was impressed with both the scale of the ploughing championships as well as the level of innovation of the Irish agricultural Industry.
Dromgool says "of the many synergies between both events, the focus and growth of innovations is paramount to the continued success within the primary sectors of both countries".
Both countries have demonstrated resourcefulness in their approach to solving farming challenges.
"I am keen to explore a collaborative relationship with the National Ploughing Association that will encourage a healthy exchange of information and representation at our respective events."
A strong economic relationship exists between Ireland and New Zealand, with two-way trade exceeding NZ$300 million in 2012. Fifteen Irish companies exhibited at the 2013 New Zealand National Field Days and Treza Gallogly, trade representative of Enterprise Ireland NZ expects this figure to grow in 2014.
"The 2013 Fieldays were a great success for Irish firms in New Zealand and Nick's presence here at the Ploughing Championships pays testament to this. We both recognise the strong connections between New Zealand and Irish agriculture, and are looking forward to bringing another large contingent of strong Irish agricultural companies to New Zealand in June next year."
Holstein Friesian excellence was front and centre at the 2025 Holstein Friesian NZ (HFNZ) Awards, held recently in Invercargill.
The work Fonterra has done with Ballance Agri-Nutrients Ltd, LIC and Ravensdown to save farmers time through better data connections has been recognised with a national award.
This past week has seen another round of negotiations between India and New Zealand to produce a free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries.
Cautiously optimistic is how DairyNZ's regional manager for the lower North Island, Mark Laurence describes the mood of farmers in his patch.
The Infrastructure Commission has endorsed a plan by Chorus to expand fibre broadband to 95% of New Zealand much to the delight of rural women.
Questions are being raised about just how good the state of the dairy industry is - especially given that the average farmgate payout for the coming season is set to exceed $10/kgMS.
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