Time for questioning useful Goliath
Amazon has hit the local papers this month with news that it has secured a deal with the New Zealand Government.
Fence Lines
Regenerative farming fight sad
Regenerative farming fight sad
The New Zealand Merino Company and wool brands Allbirds, Icebreaker, and Smartwool have announced they are working collectively with 167 sheep growers to create the world’s first regenerative wool platform.
Pandemic disruption highlights challenges looming for farming
Pandemic disruption highlights challenges looming for farming
Walk into any New Zealand supermarket and life feels pretty normal. The shelves are filled with staples of bread and toilet paper and there is the usual melee of highly packed and processed...
Time of no holds baa-ed fun rolls round
Time of no holds baa-ed fun rolls round
Every December we hold our AbacusBio annual golf tournament, ‘‘Abigba’’, a highly contested event where colourful costumes are encouraged and non-golfers are plentiful.
Not just a buzzword, paradigm shift can deliver innovation
Not just a buzzword, paradigm shift can deliver innovation
Changing paradigms became an overused phrase about a decade ago to the point where I couldn’t hear it without rolling my eyes.
Hypocrisy, hidden costs can lurk in carbon neutral goals
Hypocrisy, hidden costs can lurk in carbon neutral goals
The European Union aims to be carbon neutral by 2050 and should it achieve this, it would be the first continent to achieve carbon neutrality.
We must learn to protect our products
We must learn to protect our products
People often ask me how I fit in writing these columns — my answer is that you always find the time for doing something that is important to you or that you enjoy.
A new life for Mendel’s peas thanks to plant protein market
A new life for Mendel’s peas thanks to plant protein market
Gregor Mendel built his career around the humble pea.
Increased diversity in leadership drives innovation and agility
Increased diversity in leadership drives innovation and agility
I always enjoy reading the KPMG agribusiness agenda, which is published annually.
Parenting more about things that go wrong than successes
Parenting more about things that go wrong than successes
Parenting can be a lonely place. I remember when my children were irascible toddlers, people would say to me "Oh it goes so fast, enjoy every moment" and I remember looking at them thinking "Well...
Pandemic brings a roller coaster of emotions
Pandemic brings a roller coaster of emotions
My grandchildren, if and when I get them, will learn about the Covid-19 pandemic in social studies at school.
Time to reassess our entire food chains to find better ways
Time to reassess our entire food chains to find better ways
Food supply is in the spotlight and rightly so. Food is a "physiological need" — level one of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs — above level two, safety and security. The behaviour of supermarket...
Previous economic shocks changed way the world trades
Previous economic shocks changed way the world trades
The pace of Covid-19 spread and the enormity of associated country-by-country restrictions means by the time this column goes to print whatever I write will be out of date.
Massive economy to tap into but dairy tariff high
Massive economy to tap into but dairy tariff high
I am sitting in Mumbai airport reflecting on what I have learned as part of a New Zealand trade delegation to India.
The road to market is a rocky one for food entrepreneurs
The road to market is a rocky one for food entrepreneurs
Big-food companies dominate our supermarket shopping trollies and have significant sway over where their items are positioned, making it incredibly hard for small or local companies to make traction.
Plenty promulgating prejudiced assumptions about farmers
Plenty promulgating prejudiced assumptions about farmers
Recently, I was called out for frightening ‘‘mum and dad farmers’’ when I wrote about the threat of cellular agriculture and alternate proteins to agricultural products.
Learn broadly so you can do your job well, whatever it is
Learn broadly so you can do your job well, whatever it is
One of my sons has just finished school and I am astounded how often he is asked what he wants to do when he leaves.
NZ must urgently rethink its future as a food producer
NZ must urgently rethink its future as a food producer
It seems to be that the larger an organisation, the greater the time spent on internal matters, or what could otherwise be described as ''politics''.
Brexit going nowhere fast while technology forges ahead
Brexit going nowhere fast while technology forges ahead
One of the great perks of travel is cancelled flights and additional time in airports! I could while away the next few hours browsing overpriced cosmetics, but no, I have decided to use my time...
New Zealand farmers deserve support to remain the best
New Zealand farmers deserve support to remain the best
New Zealand farmers do not play on a level playing field with their international food producing competitors. This has been the case since the 1980s, when farm subsidies were removed and our...