The red meat sector is watching anxiously as the US embarks on a tariff war with its key trading partners.

The red meat sector is poised for a strong rebound this season, with export receipts forecast to top $10 billion and farm profitability to almost double.

OPINION: Nearly four years after buying a 75% stake in Southland processor Mataura Valley Milk (MVM), A2 Milk is still struggling to take the plant to profitability.

The cost of producing milk in New Zealand continues to compare favourably with other exporting regions despite a lift in production costs over the past five years.

The recent squabble between the Cook Islands and NZ over their deal with China has added a new element of tension in the relationship between China and NZ.

The world is now amid potentially one of the most disruptive periods in world trade for a very long time.

OPINION: Submissions on the Government's contentious Gene Technology Bill have closed.

Alliance Group has secured greater access for chilled beef exports into China following approval of its Levin and Mataura plants to supply that market. With its first load of beef from Levin clearing Chinese customs in early January and a shipment from Mataura recently arriving in China, journalist Leo Argent talked to Alliance general manager safety and processing Wayne Shaw.

New Zealand's red meat exports for 2024 finished on a positive note, with total export value increasing 17% over last December to reach $1.04 billion, according to the Meat Industry Association (MIA).

Primary sector groups appear to be generally supportive of the Gene Technology Bill currently before parliamentarians.