by Nick Clark, Federated Farmers Manager General Policy Monetary policy unchanged The Reserve Bank has kept monetary policy settings unchanged at this week’s review, keeping in place its big stimulus. The OCR was kept on hold at 0.25% while the Large Scale Asset Purchase Programme and Funding for Lending Programme were both unchanged. In its […]
Economy
Feds: live export ban ‘surprising’
The government’s announcement this morning that live export of animals will be banned after a transition period of up to two years has come as a surprise to Federated Farmers, Feds animal welfare spokesperson Wayne Langford says. “The Minister has said this is all about protecting New Zealand’s reputation as the most ethical producer of […]
Economic Week – April 9
by Nick Clark, Manager General Policy Commodity prices March upwards The monthly ANZ World Commodity Price Index lifted 6.1% in March to reach a record high. The strength in the overall index was driven primarily by a sharp lift in dairy prices, with the dairy sub-index up 12.7% to its highest level in seven years. […]
Federated Farmers sees MIQ opportunity for agriculture
Federated Farmers hopes that the Government will take the opportunity of newly available space in MIQ quarantine to bring much-needed workers for the primary industries into New Zealand. COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins estimates that the Australian quarantine-free travel bubble will free up 1000 to 1300 beds in MIQ a fortnight. “MIQ spacing has been […]
Economic Week – April 1
by Nick Clark, Manager General Policy Feds urges fiscal responsibility On Wednesday Federated Farmers presented its submission on the Budget Policy Statement to Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee. Read here to see what National President Andrew Hoggard told the Select Committee but the gist of it is that he urged caution on any spending spree […]
Federation urges caution on ‘spending spree’ for economic recovery
While it may be tempting as a pandemic response to go on a spending spree to stimulate the economy, Federated Farmers has urged caution about that sort of approach. Speaking to the Finance & Expenditure Select Committee on Wednesday March 31 as it considered the Budget Policy Statement 2021, Federated Farmers President Andrew Hoggard said […]
Research on extracting protein from green leafy crops underway
The Government is partnering with Canterbury’s Leaft Foods on a $20 million research and development programme that could put New Zealand on the map as a leading leaf protein concentrate producer. Through its Sustainable Food & Fibre Futures fund, the Ministry for Primary Industries is contributing $8 million to the five-year programme to develop technology […]
Reinforcing New Zealand’s place in the rules-based trading framework
by Macaulay Jones, Federated Farmers Policy Advisor Federated Farmers says the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement provides a much- needed qualitative show of support for the rules-based international trading framework. In mid-February, Andrew Hoggard, the National President of Federated Farmers of New Zealand, appeared before the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committee as […]
Economic Week – March 26
by Nick Clark, Federated Farmers Manager General Policy Housing tax shakeup The big news for the week was the Government’s much anticipated housing package aimed at tilting the playing field in favour of first home buyers over speculators and investors. It came after a surge house prices surged (up 22.8% for the year to February […]
Strong will to lift wool returns
A Covid-era shift towards working from home, the rise of ‘Zoom’ towns in the USA and growing consciousness worldwide of the environmental credentials of products are all trends that the Strong Wool Action Group sees as potential opportunities. SWAG CEO Andy Caughey told the Federated Farmers Meat & Wool Council late last month that the group’s aim is to identify ways to be a disruptor in product categories in […]