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.
Your canine crusader picked up on a recent statement from Agriculture O'Connor claiming how wonderfully the country's honey sector is doing.
According to O'Connor's highly spun press statement, everything is hunky dory for the country's honey industry.
However, the reality is somewhat different with NZ's honey producers saying O'Connor's sunny claims about the sector "have no relevance to the current situation".
It seems unless they are producing manuka honey, it is very tough going.
This can be seen in wholesale prices for table-grade clover honey at $3-$/kg, while production costs are around $6-$8/kg.
Even O'Connor's own ministry, MPI, acknowledges the struggle the sector is going through with its 2020 Apiculture Monitoring Report.
Less spin, more facts please minister!
New Zealand farming is riding a high, with strong prices, full feed covers and improving confidence lining up at the same time.
Manawatu Mayor Michael Ford says the district sees itself as the agribusiness capital of the lower North Island.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) is looking forward to connecting with farmers, rural professionals and community members at this year's Central District Field Days.
Labour Party Leader Chris Hipkins has announced a reshuffle of the party's caucus portfolios.
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says a series of rural resilienced set to be rolled out next week will help farmers and growers better prepared for adverse weather events.
The head of Massey University's School of Agriculture and the Environment, Professor Paul Kenyon, says the outlook for the primary sector is positive with record numbers of students enrolling for Massey's range of undergraduate courses in the primary sector.

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