New Order
OPINION: If old Winston Peters thinks building trade relations with new nations, such as India, isn't a necessary investment in our future, he has rocks in his head.
New tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump signal an uncertain future, but New Zealand farmers know how to adapt to changing conditions, says Auriga Martin, chief executive of Farm Focus.
Martin, whose company provides financial management tool for farmers, believes many farmers will be concerned about the impact of the tariffs.
However, she points out that farmers who are aware of their margins can make the necessary adjustments to weather the storm.
“While it’s difficult to plan for an uncertain future farmers know how to adapt to changing conditions and this will be no different,” says Martin.
“Farmers are inherently good at adapting, running lean, managing costs or diversifying income on their farm. They know that building resilience as a business is important regardless of what the disruptors are.
“And with the US imposing significant tariffs globally, Kiwi farmers may find themselves well positioned to adapt to the changing export market.”
As part of his ‘Liberation Day’ announcements President Trump slapped baseline tariffs of about 10% on US imports.
He will also be imposing reciprocal tariffs on countries that have treated the US unfairly in terms of tariff and non-tariff barriers. 10% tariffs will be imposed on NZ and Australian goods exports to the US, whereas much higher US tariffs will be imposed on major export markets, including China, Japan, the European Union and much of the rapidly growing Asia-Pacific region. The US is NZ’s 3rd largest goods export market ($9bn annually), being a key destination for NZ exports of meat, dairy and wine as well as selected non-commodity exports.
Dairy Women's Network (DWN) has announced that Taranaki dairy farmer Nicola Bryant will join its Trust Board as an Associate Trustee.
Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) says it welcomes the release of a new report into pay equity.
Red meat exports to key quota markets enjoyed $1.4 billion in tariff savings in the 2024-25 financial year.
Remediation NZ (RNZ) has been fined more than $71,000 for discharging offensive odours described by neighbours as smelling like ‘faecal and pig effluent’ from its compositing site near Uruti in North Taranaki.
Two kiwifruit orchards in the Bay of Plenty and one in Northland are this year's finalists for the Ahuwhenua Trophy competition.
The Government's chief science advisor, Dr John Roche says the key objective for the science sector in the coming year is bedding down the reforms which sees the merger of the previous entities.