Damien O’Connor: NZ united on global trade
When it comes to international trade, politicians from all sides of the aisle are united, says Labour's trade spokesman Damien O'Connor.
The Hound can’t believe how full of hot air this Government is in demanding the ag sector reduce its carbon footprint – no matter what the cost – while it fails to do anything itself.
Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor, with 16 members of his hugely expensive, invisible and ineffective Primary Sector Council, were more than happy to jet off around the world clocking up huge air miles and carbon gases to attend a glorified talkfest in the US.
O’Connor and his PSC lapdogs joined other NZ primary industry leaders at the recent Stanford University, California, for the annual Te Hono Bootcamp.
As a mate of yours truly asked, “Surely it would have been better for the planet to have these ag leaders meet in Wellington and have the Stanford University experts Skype in.”
Yes, but that’s not how the Government and its mates work.
When American retail giant Cosco came to audit Open Country Dairy’s new butter plant at the Waharoa site and give the green light to supply their American stores, they allowed themselves a week for the exercise.
Fonterra chair Peter McBride says the divestment of Mainland Group is their last significant asset sale and signals the end of structural changes.
Thirty years ago, as a young sharemilker, former Waikato farmer Snow Chubb realised he was bucking a trend when he started planting trees to provide shade for his cows, but he knew the animals would appreciate what he was doing.
Virtual fencing and herding systems supplier, Halter is welcoming a decision by the Victorian Government to allow farmers in the state to use the technology.
DairyNZ’s latest Econ Tracker update shows most farms will still finish the season in a positive position, although the gap has narrowed compared with early season expectations.
New Zealand’s national lamb crop for the 2025–26 season is estimated at 19.66 million head, a lift of one percent (or 188,000 more lambs) on last season, according to Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s (B+LNZ) latest Lamb Crop report.

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