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 is astounded at the sheer audacity and bottle of (outgoing?) Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor and his ability to bury his head in the sand.
In a pre-election interview, the long-time West Coast MP claimed that "The Government is not to blame for on-farm pressures".
O'Connor conveniently ignored all the regulations and red tape introduced under his watch - like low slope rules, freshwater reforms, proposed carbon pricing and biodiversity plans, to name but a few - which have added to costs and huge pressure on the country's farmers.
Instead, he went on to blame Covid and the Russo-Ukrainian war for all the woes farmers are presently facing.
If ever there was an example of why O'Connor and his Labour colleagues are out of answers, ideas and time and should be out of office, this is it!
Three New Zealand agritech companies are set to join forces to help unlock the full potential of technology.
As the sector heads into the traditional peak period for injuries and fatalities, farmers are being urged to "take a moment".
Federated Farmers says almost 2000 farmers have signed a petition launched this month to urge the Government to step in and provide certainty while the badly broken resource consent system is fixed.
Zespri’s counter-seasonal Zespri Global Supply (ZGS) programme is underway with approximately 33 million trays, or 118,800 tonnes, expected this year from orchards throughout France, Italy, Greece, Korea, and Japan.
Animal owners can help protect life-saving antibiotics from resistant bacteria by keeping their animals healthy, says the New Zealand Veterinary Association.
According to analysis by the Meat Industry Association (MIA), New Zealand red meat exports reached $827 million in October, a 27% increase on the same period last year.