First, while New Zealand's government is opening up an unprecedented export opportunity for its farmers, ours is letting election-year politics get in the way of a similar (though not as lucrative) deal.
Second, our government apparently prefers to keep farmers on welfare rather than open markets for them. By contrast, New Zealand is a case study for why agricultural subsidies are inefficient and unnecessary. In 1984, New Zealand's government pulled the plug on all government assistance to farmers, and the catastrophes many predicted never occurred:
Today, New Zealand's agricultural sector is thriving, and its government is cutting trade deals to give its farmers even greater opportunities. Meanwhile, our government gives farmers billions in handouts while dragging its feet on market-opening deals.
clipped from: corner.nationalreview.com