Time to flip the levy-payer industry-good body model
OPINION: Industry good organisations have long played a key role in supporting New Zealand’s primary industries.
HortNZ chief executive Mike Chapman says his organisation wrote to the Prime Minister when the lockdown was first announced asking for independent retailers to be allowed to open during Alert Level 3.
He says in Auckland independent retailers account for 60% of sales to the public and also sell culturally significant fresh fruit and vegetables to their communities, which aren’t readily available in supermarkets.
In the letter, HortNZ tells the PM that in Auckland a large number of households in the poorer outer suburbs have lost the ability to purchase fresh fruit and vegetables from their local retailers at affordable prices. They also warned the PM about the financial effect on growers.
As Rural News went to press on late last week, Chapman says they have not received a response from Ardern – only notice that the matter had been handed on to Minister Phil Twyford for his consideration.
“They need to get their act together because the longer the delay, the more food that is wasted and that is absolutely absurd.”
Chapman says it’s clear the MoH don’t understand the supply chain. He says the border is based on the Auckland super city boundaries, but a more sensible approach would have been to consider the actual commercial growing production areas.Chapman told Rural News that the MoH never asked for any advice and they seem to be controlling it in their own way.
On the eve of his departure from Federated Farmers board, Richard McIntyre is thanking farmers for their support and words of encouragement during his stint as a farmer advocate.
A project reducing strains and sprains on farm has won the Innovation category in the New Zealand Workplace Health and Safety Awards 2025.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ), in partnership with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and other sector organisations, has launched a national survey to understand better the impact of facial eczema (FE) on farmers.
One of New Zealand's latest and largest agrivoltaics farm Te Herenga o Te Rā is delivering clean renewable energy while preserving the land's agricultural value for sheep grazing under the modules.
Global food company Nestle’s chair Paul Bulcke will step down at its next annual meeting in April 2026.
Brendan Attrill of Caiseal Trust in Taranaki has been announced as the 2025 National Ambassador for Sustainable Farming and Growing and recipient of the Gordon Stephenson Trophy at the National Sustainability Showcase at in Wellington this evening.
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