Wednesday, 25 October 2017 13:36

O’Connor to head agriculture

Written by 
Damien O’Connor. Damien O’Connor.

Labour’s West Coast MP, Damien O’Connor is the new Minister of Agriculture, Biosecurity, Food Safety and Rural Communities.

He is also the Associate Minister of Trade and Export Growth.

The new Cabinet line-up was announced in Wellington today by Prime Minister-elect Jacinda Ardern.

Horticulture NZ says it looks forward to working with the new Labour-led coalition Government and O’Connor.

HortNZ president Julian Raine says access to land, water and labour are the key components to keep horticulture growing and to enable access to healthy, fresh, affordable fruit and vegetables for all New Zealanders.

"Horticulture is essential to New Zealand. It is a $5.6 billion industry, with exports totalling $3.4 billion and New Zealanders being fed with the remaining $2.2 billion earned - that is, delivering fresh fruit and vegetables to New Zealanders every day to ensure a healthy diet.

"The new Government has expressed a desire to drive for better outcomes for New Zealanders and we look forward to working with them on delivering jobs and healthy food to contribute to that. We are particularly pleased to see planned investment in regions where horticulture has great capacity for growth," Raine says.

More like this

Editorial: Time for change

OPINION: With election day only a few days away and advance voting well underway, there appears to be a mood for change in rural and provincial New Zealand.

Cut the politics

OPINION: With the election looming, both Labour and National have proposed huge cuts from public sector spending.

Say what?

OPINION: A mate of your canine crusader reckons the Labour Party’s recently unveiled slogan for the upcoming election – ‘In it for you’ – is not only meaningless and confusing, but also could have some rather unfortunate connotations.

Rural vote scramble

The leaders of Labour and National took up the challenge to win rural voters in a head-to-head clash at last week's Federated Farmers annual conference in Wellington.

Featured

Biosecurity award for M. bovis work

A small company which mobilised veterinarians around the country to deal with Mycoplasma bovis was one of the winners in this year's Biosecurity Awards, held at Parliament.

Cyclone's devastating legacy

One of the country's top Māori sheep and beef farms is facing a five-year battle to get back to where it was before Cyclone Gabrielle struck just over 14 months ago.

Govt praised for handling of China over cyber attacks

One of the country's leading experts on China has praised the NZ Government for its handling of the recent incident with China over that country's cyber attack on two of our parliamentary institutions in 2021.

Woolworks scour reopens after $50m rebuild

The world’s largest wool processing facility, badly damaged by Cyclone Gabrielle over one year ago, has re-opened following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project.

National

Still a slow boat to China!

Hopes of NZ sheepmeat prices picking up anytime soon in the country's key export market of China looks highly unlikely.

Machinery & Products

PM opens new Power Farming facility

Morrinsville based Power Farming Group has launched a flagship New Zealand facility in partnership with global construction manufacturer JCB Construction.

AGTEK and ARGO part ways

After 12 years of representing the Landini and McCormick brands in New Zealand, Bay of Plenty-based AGTEK and the brands’…

100 years of Farmall Tractors

Returning after an enforced break, the Wheat and Wheels Rally will take place on the Lauriston -Barhill Road, North-East of…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Bubble burst!

OPINION: Your canine crusader is not surprised by the recent news that New Zealand plant-based ‘fake meat’ business is in…

No Sat paper!

OPINION: This old mutt understands that NZ Post will soon no longer be delivering to rural addresses on Saturdays.

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter