Irish show how it's done
MPI director general Ray Smith reckons NZ has a lot to learn from the Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority – called Teagasc (pronounced ‘Chog us’).
Ireland's first Ambassador to NZ, Peter Ryan, says relations between the two countries have never been closer.
Ryan leaves NZ with a legacy, which covers trade, culture and community. His next posting is ambassador to Nigeria, where Ireland has one of its largest embassies in the world.
In addition to physically establishing the NZ embassy, Ryan has travelled the length and breadth of the country many times, meeting people. He has been instrumental in setting up a range of business, cultural and community initiatives. These include promoting Irish business networks and supporting Irish/NZ cultural ties, and Ryan and his staff played a major role in repatriating Irish people back to Ireland during the Covid pandemic.
During his four year stint in NZ, FTAs with both the UK and the EU were signed and Ireland even beat the All Blacks in an historic test series.
Perhaps one of Ryan's greatest achievements was growing and bringing to the fore the links between Ireland and Maori and Pacifica people - along with all New Zealanders. One in six people in NZ have Irish heritage.
"Both our embassy here and the NZ one in Dublin, which were established at the same time, would not have been able to hit the found running as they did if it wasn't for the wonderful respect that both countries hold mutually," Ryan told Rural News. "Like any treasure, you have to look after it and nurture it."
Peter Ryan has been a dynamic, energetic individual, who in the space of four years has raised the profile of Ireland in NZ in many ways - especially in the field of agriculture, agritech and culture.
He says the highlight of his time in New Zealand has been seeing the coming together of community and business, taking a new and fresh outlook for the future, which he hopes will strengthen even more the strong links between the two nations.
A vet is calling for all animals to be vaccinated against a new strain of leptospirosis (lepto) discovered on New Zealand dairy farms in recent years.
Two major red meat sector projects are getting up to a combined $1.7 million in funding from the New Zealand Meat Board (NZMB).
Angus Barr and Tara Dwyer of The Wandle, Lone Star Farms in Strath Taieri have been named the Regional Supreme Winners at the Otago Ballance Farm Environment Awards in Dunedin.
OPINION: The distress that the politicians and bureaucrats are causing to the people of Wairoa and the wider Tairāwhiti is unforgivable.
Dairy
Rural banker Rabobank is partnering with Food Rescue Kitchen on a new TV series which airs this weekend that aims to shine a light on the real and growing issues of food waste, food poverty and social isolation in New Zealand.
OPINION: The new government has clearly signalled big cuts across the public service.
OPINION: Your canine crusader is not surprised by the recent news that New Zealand plant-based ‘fake meat’ business is in…