Articles

When asked to think about rural life, most people think of scenes of cattle and sheep set in green fields with rolling hills. But what is also true of New Zealand's rural communities today is that they are at the cutting edge of the knowledge economy, swift to adopt and adapt new technology to improve productivity and efficiency on their land.

One hundred years ago New Zealand's rural sector led the way with the introduction of refrigerated meat exports. Now, it leads the world with chilled meat technology, ensuring that our product is the best, freshest, and most attractive product on the market.

Horticultural companies have been quick to commercialise and market new varieties and products. Zespri have had worldwide success with their gold kiwifruit. Newly listed company Botry Zen has the world manufacturing and marketing rights to a biological control for the fruit-wasting botrytis fungus.

Thirty years ago, the innovative Tatua dairy company made a deliberate decision to focus on high value-added products, and invested in research and development. Their whipped cream in a can is found around the world, and has been followed by butter spray in a can, as well as a range of nutraceuticals.

Fonterra biotechnology subsidiary Via Lactica, in conjunction with the Livestock Improvement Corporation, has identified genes that will significantly boost milk production and is commercialising them in the first of what are expected to be a number of innovations from these companies in the future.

The Government is playing its part in working alongside rural communities to facilitate further growth and development.

For example, the regional broadband rollout, Project Probe, is designed to enable rural communities to obtain fast internet access.

In November, the Government unveiled its new web-portal, which gives access to more than 3500 government services and resources from one user-friendly website. For rural people far from government services, this is a very important initiative enabling them to interact with government from their own communities and in their own time.

The Government's Sustainable Farming Fund is helping rural communities in Northland and throughout our country with innovative projects to boost the social, economic, and environmental sustainability of those communities. An independent evaluation of the fund's work says that it is providing a useful service.

Our government is committed to working in partnership with rural communities in order to improve the lives of all our citizens. Vibrant rural communities, thriving land-based industries, and a healthy rural environment are important to us. .