Honey sector strategy aiming for sweet spot
While confident that the apiculture sector can meet its target of doubling honey exports by 2030, chair of ApicultureNZ, Nathan Guy, says it will be challenging.
A total of $8.8 million has been awarded to 42 projects around the country after the latest round of the Sustainable Farming Fund, Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy says.
"These projects are driven from the grassroots and will help to improve economic and environmental performance. This co-funding will make a real difference to rural communities.
"Some of these projects include improving nutrient management, promoting pasture persistence, biological controls for pests, developing aquaculture, improving deer farm environmental management, and planning for collaborative water management.
"This includes 14 projects that have received funding from a special round that was run for Maori agribusiness late last year. Maori freehold land has enormous potential and some of these projects will help to realise the $8 billion in potential gains, as highlighted in a recent report by KPMG.
"Each project involves local groups and businesses who co-fund the work as well as running the project and bringing in the required expertise. Experience has shown this approach works and provides good value," he says.
The projects approved in the main funding round will commence July 1,2013 and run for one to three years. Most of the Maori agribusiness projects have already started, with the remaining three to commence on July 1, 2013.
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.
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has informed staff it will cut 391 jobs following a consultation period.