Election 2026: How Parties Would Lift the Arable Sector
As part of its Election 2026 coverage, Rural News asked political parties how they would help pull the arable sector out of the doldrums. Here's what they said:
OPINION: After hopping from one event to another at Fieldays, Associate Agriculture Minister Andrew Hoggard would have been hoping for a rest.
But on Monday last week, he found out at the last minute that he was needed at Hamilton Airport, not too far from the Fieldays venue, to cut the ribbon and welcome the first international flight to Hamilton in 13 years.
Part of the welcome was the unveiling of a plaque. As Hoggard pointed out in a social media post: “Will have to get some twink and a vivid to fix the plaque."
This is because the plaque Hoggard unveiled read ‘Our international terminal was officially opened by Hon James Meager, Acting Minister for Transport’.
Hoggard, also the Biosecurity Minister thanked the Biosecurity NZ team for a smooth operation clearing international passengers on day one.
Three men have been sentenced in District Courts after Ministry for Primary Industries prosecutions over animal welfare, food safety and cattle tracing offences.
Fonterra’s 2026 financial year was a year of delivery, with record volumes of milk collected, processed and shipped by the co-op.
OPINION: The Government's decision to reinstate agriculture and horticultural science as a standalone subject from Year 11 is the right one.
Dairy farmers, still holding onto their Fonterra shares despite switching milk supply elsewhere or exiting the industry, now face a stricter share sell-down requirement.
Hamilton-based agritech company Aimer Farming has completed a $3 million capital raise to support its next stage of growth, including a beef farming product due to launch in 2027.
When dairy manager Miriam Lauridsen learned the farm, she was joining held weekly health and safety meetings, she initially thought that was “a bit over the top”. Experiencing that culture changed her mind.
OPINION: It seems Canterbury processor Synlait is still in the doldrums.
OPINION: Get offside with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters at your own peril.