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Global food crisis looming large

WE’VE HAD a global financial crisis, and we now see a looming global food crisis which only innovation and technology will avert, says Berry Marttin, a Rabobank Group Netherlands executive board member.

Farming seen as sexy again, but New Zealand lags behind

Rabobank 2014 master classs attendee Michael Horgan

FARMING IS becoming ‘sexy’ again for young people overseas, but New Zealand has not caught up with this trend yet, says Southland dairy farmer Michael Horgan.

Slow uptake

Ian Yule Massey University precision agriculture

THE UPTAKE of precision agriculture is gradually improving, says Massey University’s professor of precision agriculture Ian Yule.

Protectionist policies feeding world’s growing hunger problem – expert

THE USE by developing countries of highly protectionist policies for their agriculture industries is counter-productive to reducing hunger, claims Professor Peter Warr, director of the Poverty Research Centre in Australia.

Miraka grows at Fonterra’s expense

CORPORATE FARMER Shanghai Pengxin is not ruling out switching milk supply in the North Island from Fonterra to independent processor Miraka.

Down she goes – Fonterra next?

THE COUNTRY’S second-largest dairy company Westland has cut its payout for the coming season and it’s expected Fonterra will make a similar call this month.

Feds look at ‘refresh’ for more cohesion

Federated Farmers President William Rolleston

FEDERATED FARMERS is undergoing a ‘strategy refresh’, as revealed to Rural News by president William Rolleston at the national council meeting in Wellington last month. It involves discussions with all provincial presidents, assisted by a management consultant.

Lift NZ’s organic standards – farmers

DISILLUSIONED FARMERS are looking for an internationally acceptable national organic standard due to a rise in international rules incompatible with the New Zealand farming system.

Faster traceability major focus

Theo Spierings and Jim van der Poel at FSF annual meeting.

FONTERRA CHIEF executive Theo Spierings says more work is needed to improve its traceability credentials.

Agribusiness leaders tasked with challenge

TRYING TO determine how primary producers can achieve the Government’s goal of doubling New Zealand’s exports by 2025 was the focus of a meeting of the agribusiness ‘boot camp’ group in Wellington last week. The meeting was attended by the chairs and senior managers representing 80% of New Zealand’s primary exports.