Thursday, 17 June 2021 10:55

Editorial: Tough road ahead

Written by  Staff Reporters
Trade and Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor. Trade and Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor.

OPINION: Trade Minister Damien O'Connor recently flew of to the UK and Eu in an effort to add some much needed momentum to the glacial pacde of free trade talks currently taking place between NZ and both Britain and Europe.

A big sticking point for any FTA with both is agriculture - with the EU and UK farming sectors highly protected and their farmers extremely adverse to any competition from unsubsidised producers from the antipodes.

It appears we are already on the back foot with a UK FTA conmpared to our trans-Tasman cousings, Australia. The jungle drums are beating that a comprehensive FTA (including agriculture) between Australia and the UK is likely to be announced at the upcoming G7 meeting. This follows a visit to the UK by Australia's trade minister Dan Tehan earlier in the year.

If O'Connor's trip to London was not already tough enough following this likelihood, he also has to contend with growing pressure from the UK's farming lobby on Boris Johnson's government. Recently, National Farmers Union president Minette Batters published an opinion piece in the Mail on Sunday headed: 'You can't level up by throwing our family farms under a bus'.

She mentioned how the UK is currently in trade negotiations with a number of major agricultural producers, including Australia and New Zealand and how these talks have "reached a crucial stage".

"And it's clear that negotiators from Australia and New Zealand are sticking firm to their hard-line demands for the complete removal of tariffs on all their exports to the UK," Batters opined. "This would make life unbearable for small British family farms, which, remember, must respect British laws governing high farm standards."

Batters then claimed it was all but impossible for British farmers to compete with "vast volumes of imports from the southern hemisphere". She then went on to falsely claim that UK producers would have to lower their environmental and animal welfare stands to compete with NZ and Australian produce.

In a highly emotive conclusion, Batters said: "The plain truth is this: removing tariffs for vast, unmanageable volumes of Australian beef or New Zealand lamb - of, God forbid, allowing zero tariffs on all their produce - could spell the end" (of British farming).

That's the attitude O'Connor faces on his trip to London. Good luck, he's going to need it!

More like this

Papal visit

OPINION: European farmers are going to extreme lengths to have their message heard.

NZ-UAE trade talks

A trade deal with the United Arab Emirates has moved a step close following a meeting between NZ's Trade Minister Todd McClay and UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi.

Farmer fury

OPINION: Farmer protests have swept Europe in recent weeks.

Not popular

OPINION: This old mutt hears that his editor has copped a fair bit of flak from readers after an article on former Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor appeared in the last issue of this fine organ.

Featured

Dairy sheep and goat turmoil

Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.

Hurry up and slow down!

OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.

Editorial: Passage to India

OPINION: Even before the National-led coalition came into power, India was very much at the fore of its trade agenda.

National

Knowing bugs means fewer drugs

A mastitis management company claims to deliver the fastest and most accurate mastitis testing available at scale for New Zealand…

Machinery & Products

100 years of Farmall Tractors

Returning after an enforced break, the Wheat and Wheels Rally will take place on the Lauriston -Barhill Road, North-East of…

JD unveils its latest beast

John Deere has unveiled its most powerful tractor ever, with the launch of the all new 9RX Series Tractor line-up…

Biggest Quadtrac coming to NZ!

In the biggest announcement that Case IH Australia/New Zealand has made around its tractor range, its biggest tractor is about…

A different shade of blue for Norwood

Norwood and ARGO Tractors, the Italian manufacturer of Landini and McCormick tractors, have announced an agreement that gives Norwood exclusive…

Kubota tests diesel engines

Kubota last month used the UK LAMMA Show to test the water with its new 200hp, four-cylinder 09-series diesel engines.

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Why?

OPINION: A mate of yours truly wants to know why the beef schedule differential is now more than 45-50 cents…

Fat to cut

OPINION: Your canine crusader understands that MPI were recently in front of the Parliamentary Primary Sector Select Committee for an…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter