Organic dairy co-op files for liquidation
A co-operative touted as New Zealand's only 100% farmer-owned organic milk producer has gone bust.
New Zealand now has a rural/urban chasm rather than a gap, according to the KPMG Agribusiness Agenda released last week at Fieldays.
The report says while the farming industry has done a good job appealing to the minds of people, it has done little to appeal to their emotions.
Report author Ian Proudfoot says the easiest way to do this is to make an emotional connection with food. He says the word ‘food’ – unlike farming – can make much more of an emotional link with people. Proudfoot claims uncertainty surrounding the values of many primary sector organisations means the wider community don’t believe their claims.
“The messaging that came through in this year’s agenda – very clearly – was ‘swimmable’ means swimmable -- not by 2040 and not to a scientific standard.
“This is how somebody sitting in our office in Auckland today would understand it. We can’t keep trying to win these arguments with statistics of science, when these are emotive arguments.”
The 85-page agenda report is crammed with insightful, futuristic gems about what NZ should and could do to win public and consumer confidence and for the sector to take a greater slice of high-value consumer markets.
'A lot of interest and positive responses' appears to be the way farmers are viewing the Government's initiative to hold a series of woolshed meetings around the country.
A Southland farming leader wants the regional council to delay a proposed regional rates hike, much of which is intended to fund flood protection works.
Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) says access to personal banking services in rural communities is fundamental to promoting outcomes that benefit Kiwi consumers.
A group set up to boost education and promotion of wool says it has made positive strides during the first year of its three-year strategy.
Meat processor ANZCO Foods says despite a challenging business environment, it has posted a net profit before tax of $61 million for 2023.
The deer industry is working on getting more venison into Asia.