Editorial: O Canada!
OPINION: Politicians the world over have as their priority - get elected and stay elected.
The executive director of the Dairy Companies Association of NZ (DCANZ), Kimberly Crewther, will fly to Europe in the next few days.
She'll arrive around the time British MPs are scheduled to vote on the plan for how their country will leave the European Union.
Crewther says she will meet industry and government contacts in London, Geneva and Brussels as part of a normal round of talks with dairy leaders in Europe.
But her visit timing coincides with huge turmoil over Britain’s Brexit plans.
“I am hoping to gain a little more certainty as to how things are shaping up,” Crewther told Rural News.
“Yep, Brexit worries me because it is significant in changing trade relationships globally. There may be additional barriers between markets so it’s always a risk that it will be less favourable.
“At the same time, if Brexit goes head there is the possibility for the UK to forge new free trade agreements, so while we are concerned, we are also looking for whatever opportunities may eventuate.”
With the UK Brexit vote due this week there are all sorts of last minute activities. Speculation about what might happen is rife with growing fears that Britain may end up leaving the EU on March 29 without a deal.
Ireland has summoned all its ambassadors worldwide to Dublin for briefings. Irish deputy Prime Minister Simon Coveney at one briefing criticised Brexit hardliners who he says think “no price is too high to pay for their version of Brexit”. He said that “in the absence of realism” the hardliners would win to everyone’s cost – most notably Ireland’s.
Meanwhile, The Guardian newspaper is calling for another referendum on Brexit, saying the Government’s attempts to get a deal have failed and the only alternative now is to put the matter on hold and vote again.
The paper says in an editorial:
“Brexit has never been a properly worked out policy prescription for Britain’s problems. For many Tories, it is an attitude of mind, an amorphous resentment against the modern world, foreigners and Britain’s loss of great-power status.
“This explains more than anything else why hardline Brexiteers reject all compromise, refuse responsibility for the practical options, and continue to fantasise about a no-deal outcome.”
South Waikato farm manager Ben Purua’s amazing transformation from gang life to milking cows was rewarded with the Ahuwhenua Young Maori Farmer award last night.
Bankers have been making record profits in the last few years, but those aren’t the only records they’ve been breaking, says Federated Farmers vice president Richard McIntyre.
The 2023-24 season has been a roller coaster ride for Waikato dairy farmers, according to Federated Farmers dairy section chair, Mathew Zonderop.
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) director general Ray Smith says job cuts announced this morning will not impact the way the Ministry is organised or merge business units.
Scales Corporation is acquiring a number of orchard assets from Bostock Group.
Family and solidarity shone through at the 75 years of Ferdon sale in Otorohanga last month.
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