Major Japanese suit retailer commits to Kiwi wool – Dave Gooselink:
Fifty sales representatives from one of Japan’s largest suit retailers have spent the day on a Kiwi sheep farm.
They’ve been inspecting some of the merino sheep behind the company’s premium clothing, and it’s a market that’s expanding.
“We show them where it comes from off the sheep [and] we have some sheep out the back, which they’ve seen,” says Maniototo’s Closeburn Station’s Tony Clarke.
“We have some shearing so they see how it’s taken off them.” . .
Westland launches UHT Product in China:
Only a few weeks after officially opening its new UHT milk and cream plant at its premises in Rolleston (April 15), Westland Milk Products has launched its whipping cream product into the Chinese market.
The Hokitika-based co-operative (New Zealand’s second largest dairy co-op) chose the 19th International Bakery Exhibition of China (Bakery China 2016) to launch the brand ‘Westgold Mu En’ (pronounced ‘moo ern’), aiming to bring a wider range of authentic New Zealand dairy products to Chinese consumers. Westgold Mu En, Westland’s flagship consumer and foodservice brand in China, literally translates as ‘nourishment from the pasture.’ The brand will initially comprise of Westland’s UHT milk, whipping cream and butter. . .
China dominates global dairy imports – Keith Woodford:
In New Zealand, we have yet to come to terms with the reality that the future of our dairy industry is highly dependent on China.
America does not need us. Europe does not need us. The oil producing countries can no longer afford us. Africa has never been able to afford us.
So it is all about Asia. . .
Government welcomes Māori forestry collective announcement:
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and Te Puni Kokiri (TPK) welcomed the announcement of Te Taitokerau Maori Forestry Collective Incorporated’s Action Plan to 2020 launched today at the He Kai Kei Aku Ringa (HKKAR) Regional Hui in Kerikeri.
The Collective is made up of 10 Māori land entities, and together they plan to replant more than 32,000 hectares of their land in forest – an initiative that offers business, education and employment opportunities. The Action Plan to 2020 will pave the way for the Collective’s future.
Ben Dalton, Deputy Director General at the Ministry for Primary Industries, is pleased with the significant progress the Collective has made. . .
Nurturing the World: dairying with a difference – Caitlin McGee:
Miraka is a dairy company with a difference. It is the only one in the world that uses geo-thermal steam to power its plant. It also uses a worm farm to help get rid of waste.
Richard Wyeth is the chief executive and he says Miraka has a real point of difference in the industry.
“We have a full, closed-loop recycling system, which is reasonably unique in the New Zealand dairy sector. The other thing that is unique about Miraka is that we are predominantly Maori-owned, so 80 percent of our shareholders are Maori trust corporations.” . . .
Uncontrolled Urban Sprawl Will Increase Vegetable Prices:
It’s a simple equation: Auckland spreads its housing into our fruit and vegetable production land = we all pay more for food.
Horticulture New Zealand says if more houses are built on the most productive rural land then we can all expect to pay more for fresh vegetables and fruit.
“We know we need a bigger Auckland, but do we want to pay $10 a kilo for vegetables imported from China?” HortNZ natural resources manager Chris Keenan says.
HortNZ is worried the true cost of uncontrolled Auckland sprawl is not understood. . .
Positivity Pumping At 2016 NZ Dairy Awards Final:
The winners and finalists in the 2016 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards are evidence of the opportunities for people to prosper in the country’s dairy industry.
In front of 530 people at Wellington’s TSB Bank Arena last night, Mark and Jaime Arnold were named the 2016 New Zealand Share Farmers of the Year, Thomas Chatfield became the 2016 New Zealand Dairy Manager of the Year and Nicholas Bailey was announced the 2016 New Zealand Dairy Trainee of the Year. They shared prizes worth nearly $170,000. . .
Research into rural disease transmission:
The transmission of diseases passed between animals and humans is the focus of research to be carried out by Otago University.
Known as Zoonotic disease transmission, around 60 percent of micro-organisms causing human diseases are passed that way.
The research led by Dr Pippa Scott will concentrate on two diseases, Escherichia coli, a particularly nasty bug that causes severe diarrhoea, and Staphylococcus aureus, a skin and blood infection. . .
Onion Industry Strategy Delivering Increased Export Earnings:
Onions New Zealand Inc says with 75% of this season’s crop shipped, the industry is pleased with the direction it’s heading in.
“Returns are expected to be up 50% on last year,” chief executive Michael Ahern says.
“This means an increase from $81 million to $125 million FoB. This forecasted result will re-assert onions position as the third largest fresh horticulture export item after kiwifruit and pipfruit.” . .
Accurate fertiliser spreading could save NZ agriculture millions:
A research study, commissioned by the New Zealand Fertiliser Quality Council (FQC), estimates that New Zealand agriculture could save tens of millions of dollars in lost production and wasted fertiliser – every year.
Conducted by Massey University’s Centre for Precision Agriculture, the report, which reviewed spreading accuracy from twin disc fertiliser spreaders, found that several factors contributed to ‘off target’ fertiliser spreading – including the physical properties of the fertiliser product, demand for spreaders to spread wider, as well as topography and wind. . .
Southeast Asian entrepreneurs to gain insights into New Zealand agriculture:
Top Southeast Asian agribusiness leaders and entrepreneurs will be visiting Hamilton agricultural show Fieldays as part of a programme run by the Asia New Zealand Foundation.
The group is coming to New Zealand for a week-long programme through the ASEAN Young Business Leaders Initiative, managed by the Asia New Zealand Foundation for the New Zealand Government. ASEAN is a grouping of 10 Southeast Asian nations with a population of more than 620 million. New Zealand has a free trade agreement in place with ASEAN through the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand FTA (AANZFTA). . .
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