OSPRI writes off $17m over botched traceability system
Animal disease management agency OSPRI has written off nearly $17 million after a botched attempt to launch a new integrated animal disease management and traceability system.
New Zealand special agricultural trade envoy Mike Petersen says NZ desperately needs to develop a new primary sector story to help sell its products to the world.
And it's hard to disagree.
As Petersen told last week's DairyNZ Farmer Forum, we need a coherent NZ story and it's desperately needed to take out into the world, particularly because at least 90% of what our primary sector produces locally is sold offshore.
No one has a better understanding of how NZ agriculture and its products are portrayed on the international scene than Mike Petersen. He has attended most of the country's trade negotiations in the past few years, ensuring the primary sector's perspective is included.
But who is going to take the leadership role in bringing the sector together to develop the NZ Inc. story?
Let's not allow the creation of an inane postcard claim like '100% Pure'. That has become a rod with which the agri-sector has been constantly beaten by environmental fundamentalists, competitors and others. NZ's story must be pan industry-led and adopted.
Petersen suggests that NZ Trade & Enterprise, MPI and the primary sector come together to promote a story of integrity and trust in our export systems and pull together what we are already doing. As he pointed out, currently all the pieces – such as environmental credentials and traceability – are in different places and showcased in different ways, rather than in one coherent picture.
As Lewis Road Creamery founder Peter Cullinane also told the farmers' forum, "There's an opportunity to do something clever that no other country is doing."
It is past time a collective NZ primary sector story was developed; we have a great story to tell and the world needs to hear it.
A combined, pan-industry approach is the only way forward.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will be fronting farmers at three large public meetings organised by Federated Farmers over the coming weeks.
Federated Farmers and a major Australian-owned bank are at loggerheads over emissions reduction targets set for New Zealand farmer clients.
More locally grown tomatoes are coming to stores this month and you can thank New Zealand greenhouses for that.
Changing skill demands and new job opportunities in the primary sector have prompted Massey University to create a new degree course and add a significant major into another in 2025.
It was bringing in a new Canterbury A&P Association (CAPA) show board, more in tune with the CAPA general committee, that has ensured that Christchurch will have a show this year, says CAPA general committee president Bryce Murray.
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