Author Archives: david

TO USE the latest America’s Cup parlance, the New Zealand primary sector is ‘up on its foils’ at present. According to the latest Rabobank survey, farmer confidence and spending intentions jumped to record levels in the second quarter of this … Continue reading →

AS THE curtain comes down on another successful Fieldays, NZ’s farming sector has experienced something uncommon nowadays – a raft of positive media coverage. Positive descriptors such as innovators, economic powerhouse, world-leading food producers, celebrating farming and emerging leaders – … Continue reading →

THE RECENT release of the progress report on the last three years of the Sustainable Dairying Water Accord has sparked all the naysayers of the dairy industry into another series of spiteful attacks on farmers. Granted, the report does highlight … Continue reading →

TRADE AND New Zealand’s position on it has been high on the agenda recently. In mid-March the Government announced a refresh of the country’s trade agenda to increase our exporters’ competitiveness — the primary sector is a key player — … Continue reading →

MANDATORY LABELLING of fruits and vegetables is back on the public agenda. A recent joint survey, by Horticulture NZ and Consumer NZ, shows 70% of consumers want to know where their fruit and veges come from. Only 9% of those … Continue reading →

THE DEBATE about New Zealand’s water quality has become too simplistic, with far too much finger pointing and blame in mostly farming’s direction. It is clear that our water quality is bad enough to require action and, in some instances, … Continue reading →

  FONTERRA’S NEW discussion booklet on revamping its governance is titled ‘Let’s have the Conversation’. But the lacklustre 20-page document will struggle to stimulate farmers, already in favour of a radical change in the board size. After being stunned in … Continue reading →

News that the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) is to be signed in New Zealand early next month, will no doubt fire up outrage, ridiculous claims and pontifications from the usual array of serial protestors, desperate politicians and other economic Luddites. … Continue reading →

‘GROSSLY IRRESPONSIBLE’ is how New Zealand’s special agricultural trade envoy Mike Petersen has – rightly – described animal rights group SAFE’s placement of an anti-NZ dairy farming advertisement in a British newspaper. As Peterson says, the group has deliberately gone … Continue reading →

  THE WRITING is on the wall for Fonterra’s chairman John Wilson, his board and management; fed-up farmer shareholders are demanding changes. The co-op’s board and management have again been caught out of step with the owners of the business; … Continue reading →