Trade balance with the US a saving grace
New Zealand is so far escaping the unpredictable vagaries of President Donald Trump's trade policies by the skin of its teeth.
Five recent graduates of Smedley Station (5000ha) at Tikokino, near Hastings, have won scholarships totalling $26,300 are this year starting diploma studies at Lincoln University.
Rabobank sponsors Smedley graduates in relevant diploma and degree courses.
“Rabobank is proud to provide bursaries to cadets graduating from the station to do further studies and build their agricultural careers,” says Rabobank East Coast regional manager George Murdoch.
The cadets who got the bursaries are Philip Cutbush, Watarawi Ngata, Dean Wardle, Ben Galloway and Jack Virtue.
Smedley Station is held in trust by Public Trust for the Crown, and is administered by Public Trust’s national farm centre managed by Rodd Hutton.
“Smedley Station is grateful for the support given by Rabobank and its generosity in funding further education for Smedley cadets,” Hutton says. “Cadets get real farming experience and every decision affects the welfare of the station. Cadet training is funded directly from Smedley revenue.”
Smedley is one of 30 farms administered by Public Trust. The farms range from 48ha. Five are in the South Island, the rest in the North Island, mostly in Waikato/Bay of Plenty, Taranaki and Hawke’s Bay.
While opening the first electrode boiler at its Edendale site, Fonterra has announced a $70 million investment in two further new electrode boilers.
Fonterra says its ongoing legal battle with Australian processor Bega Cheese won’t change its divestment plans.
With an amendment to the Medicines Act proposing human medicines could be approved in 30 days if the product has approval from two recognised overseas jurisdictions, there’s a call for a similar approach where possible to be applied to some animal medicines.
The Government wants to make sure that rural communities get a level of service that people who live in cities often complacently expect.
As the New Zealand Government launches negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement with India, one Canterbury-based vegetable seed breeder is already benefiting from exporting to the world's fifth-largest economy.
Onenui Station on Mahia Peninsula in northern Hawke's Bay is a world first in more ways than one.