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Alliance Group's Smithfield meat processing plant, Timaru. Photo: RNZ / Tim Brown A group that represents the owners of New Zealand's commercial plantation forests disputes that forestry is one the reasons behind the proposed closure of the Smithfield meatworks. Alliance Group told staff on Friday it planned to fully close its meat processing plant in Timaru, with Federated Farmers saying land use change was to blame, with farms being converted into carbon forests at alarming rates. The New Zealand Forest Owners Association said the area of production forestry across the country had decreased in the last 20 years, but Beef + Lamb New Zealand said focusing on total forestry area overlooked the impact of recent land-use change on the sector. Statistics from Te Uru Rākau - New Zealand Fore...

Photo: 123rf.com Advertised salaries are growing at a slower pace due to strong competition for a limited number of jobs, new data shows. Employment website SEEK has found average advertised salaries grew 3.7 percent in the year ended August, down from 4.4 percent in the previous quarter. SEEK country manager Rob Clark said with more people applying for fewer jobs, the rule of supply and demand was holding back salary increases. "If you're an employer you've got more choice and therefore that allows you to have more flexibility on salary rates. And if you're an employee and you're looking for work, it's more competitive out there, so you might be prepared to forego the salary that you may have hoped [for] previously." The education and healthcare sectors recorded the greatest growth yea...

Fonterra's Anchor brand butter, showing the label claiming it is '100 percent New Zealand grass-fed'. Photo: Supplied/ Greenpeace Greenpeace is suing dairy company Fonterra for misleading customers by claiming its Anchor brand butter is 100 percent New Zealand grass-fed. Fonterra's own rules allow up to 20 percent of the diet of their dairy cows to be feed that is not grass, while still able to be considered "grass fed". Greenpeace said this was a problem, as imported palm kernel feed was linked to the deforestation of rainforests in Southeast Asia, and customers deserved to know that their products were contributing to demand for it. Greenpeace spokesperson Sinéad Deighton-O'Flynn served Fonterra with the lawsuit on Monday morning at the dairy co-operative's Auckland headquarters. "Fon...

ANZ's business confidence survey found strong signs businesses are growing more positive about the future. Photo: Unsplash/ Patrick Tomasso ANZ business survey shows headline confidence at highest since May 2014 Firms also most upbeat about their own outlook since mid-2014 More firms expect better profits, investment, steady jobs, wages, inflation Retail and construction sectors more cheerful. The recovery in business confidence has held at a decade high, with firms buoyed by improved trading and expectations of future growth. ANZ's survey for September showed general sentiment rose 10 points on the month before, to a net 61 percent optimism, the highest since May 2014. The more closely followed 'own activity' measure showed an eight point rise to 45 percent optimism, also a 10-year...

Photo: Getty Images Speciality dairy company A2 Milk has confirmed it is in talks to buy a manufacturing facility in China. Australian share market operator ASX sought answers from A2 on Friday, after its share price gained 11 percent before being placed in a trading halt. In a carefully worded response, A2 said it was "possibly" aware of unannounced information that could explain the spike in its share price. The company highlighted stimulus measures announced by the Chinese government as a possible reason for the trading of its shares, but also revealed discussions over a new plant in China. A2's chief legal and sustainability officer Jaron McVicar said: "For completeness, consistent with its publicly announced strategy which includes developing infant milk formula manufacturing capabi...

Photo: Photo / AFP Fonterra has released its new strategy to pay more in dividends to shareholders and get a higher return on capital. The company's revised business strategy aims to focus on its high performing ingredients and food service businesses to grow value. It has increased its target average return on capital to 10-12 percent, up from 9-10 percent, and a new dividend policy of 60-80 percent of earnings, up from 40-60 percent. Chief executive Miles Hurrell said building trading capability for the company's dairy ingredients will help grow the Farmgate Milk Price and earnings. He said expanding the food service business in China will also help boost value. Chairperson Peter McBride said the new strategy will support farmers. "The co-op exists to provide stability and manage risk ...

Southern Health's chief executive says a deficit was expected. Photo: 123RF Deficit for June year $88m vs deficit $16.5m year before Claims increase 15 pct, premium income up 9 pct Membership 955,301 - 50 pct made claims Most expensive procedure - heart valve ($72,800-$94,200) Spending on knee/hip replacements, colonoscopies rise sharply Pet and travel insurance profitable The country's biggest health insurer and private healthcare provider Southern Cross has posted a large deficit on the back of rising costs and claims, and an accounting change. The not-for-profit group said it had had a surge in business as people turned to the private health system to get around blockages and delays in the public system. Chief executive Nick Astwick said a deficit had been expected, but cost...