Displaying items by tag: Damien O'Connor

OPINION: Your old mate had a bit of a giggle at current Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor's effusive praise of the primary sector, when releasing the latest MPI SOPI report late last year.

New Zealand's primary sector will crack the $50 billion mark in export earnings this year with the horticulture sector playing its part, according to MPI projections.

As 2021 draws to a close and 2022 approaches, Leo Argent takes a look back at the year gone by, reviewing some of the major stories that appeared in Rural News which shaped farming industry news this year.

Fonterra chairman Peter McBride was immediately on the phone to Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor after the result of last week's capital structure vote.

Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor says the Government will fund two new research projects to investigate the impacts of regenerative farming practices.

A total of 34 graduate vets will be placed in rural areas this year, from Northland to Southland, through the Government's Voluntary Bonding Scheme for Veterinarians (VBS).

OPINION: Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor has thrown a spanner in the works as far as Fonterra’s proposed capital structure is concerned.

An extra $600,000 in funding to support driver licensing and education programmes in rural communities across NZ has been committed by the Government.

OPINION: Your old mate has heard about rugby players putting their bodies on the line for their country, but not bureaucrats.

The government is backing rural communities across New Zealand by investing in a growing number of rural community hubs, says Rural Communities Minister Damien O’Connor.