Crazy
OPINION: Your canine crusader was truly impressed by the almost unanimous support given by politicians of all stripes in Parliament to the recent passing of legislation for the NZ/EU free trade deal.
British and New Zealand trade negotiators are burning the midnight oil in a bid to get a free trade agreement between the two countries.
Minister for Trade and Export Growth Damien O'Connor had a Zoom call about the talks with his UK counterpart, Liz Truss, last week. When the pair met in July, they made much play of the fact that they would try and come to an agreement in principle by the end of August.
At the time, O'Connor noted the pressure was on to get an agreement but conceded there were sensitive issues.
Only recently, the former NZ High Commissioner, Sir Lockwood Smith, stated that the FTA with the UK was there to be had and if the present government didn't do a deal it would be a massive failure on their part.
Last week, as Rural News went to press, there was still no deal. However, O'Connor is hopeful of a deal and said that negotiations were "continuing" toward reaching an agreement in principle.
"However, as we have always said, we need that agreement to be commercially meaningful for our exporters."
O'Connor says NZ remains committed to negotiating a high quality, comprehensive and inclusive FTA with the UK.
Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford is claiming “some real success” on the 12 policy priorities it placed before the Coalition Government.
Federated Farmers is throwing its support behind the Fast-track Approvals Bill introduced by the Coalition Government to enable a fast-track decision-making process for infrastructure and development projects.
The latest report from ANZ isn’t good news for sheep farmers: lamb returns are forecast to remain low.
Divine table grapes that herald the start of a brand-new industry in Hawke’s Bay have been coming off vines in Maraekakaho.
In what appears to be a casualty of the downturn in the agricultural sector, a well-known machinery brand is now in the hands of liquidators and owing creditors $6.6 million.
One of New Zealand’s deepest breeder Jersey herds – known for its enduring connection through cattle with the UK’s longest reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II – will host its 75th anniversary celebration sale on-farm on April 22.