Damien O’Connor: NZ united on global trade
When it comes to international trade, politicians from all sides of the aisle are united, says Labour's trade spokesman Damien O'Connor.
OPINION: The Hound suggests if there was any doubt that our so-called farmer industry bodies are little more than a bunch of quislings who are fully in the Government's pocket, then a recent publicity stunt will have quelled that doubt.
Earlier this month, PM Jacinda Ardern - joined by her chief handbag carrier Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor - was in the Waikato for a pre-Budget publicity photo shoot.
This stunt wasn't held on just any old Waikato farm, but on the property of current DairyNZ chair Jim van der Poel.
When most farmers wouldn't want to be seen dead in the company of possibly the most anti-farming Government in NZ's history, van der Poel couldn't have seemed happier.
Makes it hard to argue that the lack of fight and push back from DairyNZ at the avalanche of govt regulations on farming doesn't come right from the top!
Fonterra’s impending exit from the Australian dairy industry is a major event but the story doesn’t change too much for farmers.
Expect greater collaboration between Massey University’s school of Agriculture and Environment and Ireland’s leading agriculture university, the University College of Dublin (UCD), in the future.
A partnership between Torere Macadamias Ltd and the Riddet Institute aims to unlock value from macadamia nuts while growing the next generation of Māori agribusiness researchers.
A new partnership between Dairy Women’s Network (DWN) and NZAgbiz aims to make evidence-based calf rearing practices accessible to all farm teams.
Despite some trying circumstances recently, the cherry season looks set to emerge on top of things.
Changed logos on shirts otherwise it will be business as usual when Fonterra’s consumer and related businesses are expected to change hands next month.

OPINION: Here w go: the election date is set for November 7 and the politicians are out of the gate…
OPINION: ECan data was released a few days ago showing Canterbury farmers have made “giant strides on environmental performance”.