ODH collapse 'not a surprise'
An organic sector leader believes that failed farmer-owned co-operative Organic Dairy Hub (ODH) lacked the scale to compete in the global market.
Organics Aotearoa (OANZ) chairman Doug Voss is urging members to support a proposal for a national organic standard.
He is urging OANZ members and the organic community at large to participate in the consultation process launched yesterday by the Ministry of Primary Industries.
MPI is seeking views from producers, consumers, processors, retailers, importer, exporters and the public through meetings and online.
Agriculture and Food Safety Minister Damien O’Connor says in New Zealand there are a range of voluntary standards that organic producers can choose from to label their food ‘organic’,
“Officials have advised that a single set of rules may help boost consumer confidence in organic products and place our organics regulatory system on the same footing as many other countries – potentially growing market access for organic products,” O’Connor says.
“The organics industry is a passionate one that offers consumers a valuable product backed by a brand focused on sustainable use of our natural resources.
“Productive growth for our primary industries is about getting more from what we do now – not just doing more.”
The consultation launched yesterday gives producers and consumers a say on whether New Zealand needs a single set of rules for organics production, what that may look like and what costs or other factors need to be considered.
Voss says it is important that members and interested parties turn out to the regional meetings and have their say by completing a submission form on the MPI website in support of a single national standard.
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HortNZ's CEO, Kate Scott says they are starting to see the substantial cumulative effects on their members of the two disastrous flood events in the Nelson Tasman region.
In an ever-changing world, things never stay completely the same. Tropical jungles can turn into concrete ones criss-crossed by motorways, or shining cities collapse into ghost towns.
Labour's agriculture spokesperson Jo Luxton says while New Zealand needs more housing, sacrificing our best farmland to get there is not the answer.
Profitability issues facing arable farmers are the same across the world, says New Zealand's special agricultural trade envoy Hamish Marr.
Over 85% of Fonterra farmer suppliers will be eligible for customer funding up to $1,500 for solutions designed to drive on-farm efficiency gains and reduce emissions intensity.
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