Look who’s singing the farm sector’s praises – none other than the Minister whose environmental rules constrain them

Labour ministers  are   beating  the farming  drum  (as never before).

On  stage  at  the Fieldays at   Mystery Creek, one of  the  first  out of the block (given the  absence  of Agriculture  Minister  Damien O’Connor  negotiating  free  trade  in London with the UK)  was  Oceans  and  Fisheries Minister David  Parker. 

He  was  singing  the  praises of  the  sector,  which  might have come  as a  surprise  to  many  within the  farming  industry,  who  have found  the strictures  he has delivered from his Environment  portfolio  rather  hard  to  digest.

Parker   used  the  Fieldays platform to  talk up  the sector which  he  declared had performed remarkably well in the face of Covid-19.

“NZ’s farmers, growers, fishers, processors, makers, and crafters have risen to the challenges that 2021 has presented”.

Farming exports are forecast to hit a record $49.1bn, up 3.4% over the next year, and The Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries report says by June 2025 the sector’s exports are forecast to reach $53.1bn.