MPI defends cost of new biosecurity lab
The head of the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) biosecurity operation, Stuart Anderson, has defended the cost and the need for a Plant Healht and Environment Laboratory (PHEL) being built in Auckland.
Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy will attend agricultural conferences on a four-day trip to Australia and China.
Today Guy travels to Beijing to attend and speak at the Development Research Centre (DRC)'s Food Security and Food Safety Strategy Summit.
"The DRC is a government policy, research and consulting institution that focuses on China's economic and social development," says Guy.
"This conference is a good opportunity to build closer links with China and outline how our two countries can work together on issues of food and agricultural policy."
On Monday he visits Hong Kong to meet with New Zealand companies, and a meeting with the Hong Kong Jockey Club. New Zealand race horses are one of our most important exports to Hong Kong with exports worth $29 million in the most recent year.
He departed yesterday and is back in New Zealand on Tuesday 17 November.
Canterbury farmer Michelle Pye has been elected to Fonterra’s board for a three-year term.
Farmers are welcoming the announcement of two new bills to replace the under-fire Resource Management Act.
The Government has announced it will immediately roll over all resource consents for two years, with legislation expected to pass under urgency as early as this week.
The New Zealand National Fieldays Society has achieved a major sustainability milestone - reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and reaching the target five years early.
Fonterra's 2025/26 financial year is off to a strong start, with a first quarter group profit after tax of $278 million- up $15m on the previous year.
Government plans to get rid of regional councillors shows a lack of understanding of the fundamental problem affecting all of local government - poor governance.

OPINION: Your old mate welcomes the proposed changes to local government but notes it drew responses that ranged from the reasonable…
OPINION: A press release from the oxygen thieves running the hot air symposium on climate change, known as COP30, grabbed your…