AGMARDT Agribusiness Breakfast: Foreign Ownership

The highly successful AGMARDT Agribusiness Breakfast will again feature at the 2011 National Bank Young Farmer Contest Grand Final in Masterton on July 1st.

The theme for this year is "Foreign Ownership"; a topic sure to invoke plenty of healthy debate.

Hosted by AGMARDT's Chairman, Jeff Grant the breakfast will explore the issues surrounding foreign ownership including research from NZIER Economic Analyst, Chris Nixon along with presentations from Tom Sturgess of Tiri Group Limited and Alex Duncan of Fonterra.

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), particularly the FDI investment in land, is a hot topic in New Zealand and therefore very fitting for discussion at the AGMARDT Agribusiness Breakfast. Those in rural and urban areas who are "for" and "against" further foreign investment are passionate advocates for their respective positions.

Chris Nixon from NZIER will give a snap shot of the current FDI situation in New Zealand (how big it is, which industries and what farming types), examine worldwide trends in FDI, look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of FDI, and develop a framework against which to judge/understand comments from the pro and anti-groups.

Mr Nixon has provided economic analysis, policy advice, and strategic advice to a host of private and public clients for the past 20 years at NZIER. His work spans a wide variety of microeconomic fields; however, he specialises in environmental and agricultural economics, trade, and infrastructure and transport.

A presentation will also be made by Tom Sturgess who is proprietor of Lone Star Farms Ltd, a South Island sheep and beef cattle producer, and a Board Member of Goldman Sachs JB Were (NZ) Private Equity Fund.

Attendees will also hear from Alex Duncan, General Manager Group Strategy & Corporate Finance for Fonterra; he is involved in leading a range of initiatives across the business that affect its direction and structure.

The presentations and light breakfast will be held at the Copthorne Hotel and Resort Solway Park from 7.30am on July 1st. From there the breakfast participants will move onto the Solway A&P Showgrounds to watch the finest Young Farmers in New Zealand as they compete in The Ultimate Rural Challenge.

Tickets are $30 for the breakfast and can be purchased on-line at the Contest website www.youngfarmercontest.co.nz.