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.
OPINION: The Hound note that part-time ag minister, part-time trade minister and full-time handbag carrier for Jacinda, Damien O'Connor, did a bit of virtue signalling during an APEC trade ministers' meeting held in Bangkok last month.
Apparently, O'Connor boycotted any events involving his Russian counterpart at the event in protest against that country's invasion of Ukraine.
Before the meeting, an official confirmed that, "O'Connor will walk out when the Russian Minister Denis Manturov begins speaking at the meeting; he will not meet with him and will not attend the formal dinner if the Russian is present".
Wow, what a massive statement - no doubt Putin immediately withdrew his troops from Ukraine and currently is cowering in the Kremlin over this momentous move by O'Connor.
Do you mean he hasn't? So, it was just a pointless waste of time then? Thought so.
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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