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Kiwi farmers are not the only ones nervous about their future as a result of politicians throwing them under the harvester.
The first victims of the trade spat between the US and China were farmers, as China retaliated to US tariffs with tariffs on US commodities. President Trump has promised handouts to soften the losses by US farmers, but it won’t be enough. Farmers (and their suppliers) are hurting.
Gary Wertish, president of the Minnesota Farmers Union, said “Words and Twitters and tweets don’t pay farmers’ bills. That doesn’t solve the problem. This one’s self inflicted by our President, and though we definitely agreed with him at the beginning, it doesn’t appear there’s a plan B.”
And Lindsay Greiner, president of the Iowa Soybean Association, said “Short term, stair stepped subsidies are a poor remedy for trade. They stimulate production but not sales and so do little to undo the long term log jam.”
Meanwhile, China is not starving, it is simply buying more grain from Brazil and Argentina.
One of the country's leading experts on China has praised the NZ Government for its handling of the recent incident with China over that country's cyber attack on two of our parliamentary institutions in 2021.
Hopes of NZ sheepmeat prices picking up anytime soon in the country's key export market of China looks highly unlikely.
Zespri has unveiled the award-winning KiwiBrothersTM mascots in China for the first time to market its large kiwifruit crop.
Authorities in China have clamped down on companies in that country which have been packaging and selling their own local fruit under the Zespri brand.
Are Chinese buyers returning to the Global Dairy Trade (GDT) auctions?
New Zealand dairy processors are welcoming the Government’s commitment to continuing to push for Canada to honour its trade commitments.
An educational programme, set up by Beef + Land New Zealand, to connect farmers virtually with primary and intermediate school students has reported the successful completion of its second year.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has welcomed a resolution adopted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly to declare 2026 International Year of the Woman Farmer.
Waikato herd health veterinarian Katrina Roberts is the 2024 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year.
Trade Minister Todd McClay says New Zealand has no intention of backing down in a trade dispute with Canada over dairy products.
Horticulture NZ chief executive Nadine Tunley will step down in August.
OPINION: Canterbury milk processor Synlait is showing no sign of bouncing back from its financial doldrums.
OPINION: It seems every bugger in this country can get an award these days.
