NZ red meat sector hits out at US tariff hike
New Zealand's red meat sector says the United States' decision to increase tariffs on New Zealand exports is disappointing.
A new report commissioned by the Ministry for Primary Industries has shown the potential held in over one million hectares of Maori freehold land, says Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy.
The report Growing the Productive Base of Māori Freehold Land estimates that lifting productivity to average industry benchmarks could result in an additional $8 billion in gross output and 3,600 new jobs for the primary sector. To achieve the estimated gains an investment in the land of just under $3 billion would be required.
"The potential for Maori freehold land represents an opportunity for Maori, the wider primary sector and New Zealand as a whole," says Guy.
"The report confirms that some iwi are well organised and have their asset base generating good returns, while others haven't realised their true potential yet.
"It is ultimately up to Maori to work out how to realise that potential, but Government has an important role partnering with Maori as leaders in driving a change.
"The proposed reforms to the Te Ture Whenua Māori Act announced by Minister for Treaty Settlements Chris Finlayson and Minister of Māori Affairs Dr Pita Sharples will be an important step towards unlocking this potential."
Late last year the Ministry for Primary Industries provided close to $3 million in funding for initiatives to promote sustainability and innovation amongst Maori agribusinesses.
The Ministry is also working with education agencies, training providers and other stakeholders to identify the opportunities to provide targeted training to Maori agribusinesses.
The Maori collective asset base is estimated at $37 billion. About 30% ($10.6 billion) is estimated to be in the primary sectors.
NZPork has appointed Auckland-based Paul Bucknell as its new chair.
The Government claims to have delivered on its election promise to protect productive farmland from emissions trading scheme (ETS) but red meat farmers aren’t happy.
Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks could have a detrimental impact on any country's rural sector, as seen in the United Kingdom's 2000 outbreak that saw the compulsory slaughter of over six million animals.
The Ministry for the Environment is joining as a national award sponsor in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA from next year).
Kiwis are wasting less of their food than they were two years ago, and this has been enough to push New Zealand’s total household food waste bill lower, the 2025 Rabobank KiwiHarvest Food Waste survey has found.
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