• NZ honey, deer velvet and venison to gain access to Vietnamese market

• EPA halves backlog for hazardous substances approvals

• New Zealand's top butchers crowned at national awards

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NZ honey, deer velvet and venison to gain access to Vietnamese market

New Zealand honey, deer velvet and venison will soon be available in Vietnamese markets, as New Zealand and Vietnam announce new agricultural market access alongside a broader cooperation agreement.

In return, Vietnamese flowers and foliage — including carnations, daisies, orchids and lilies — will gain improved access to New Zealand consumers.

Agriculture and Trade Minister Todd McClay says both countries have also signed a new Memorandum of Arrangement covering research, technology, sustainable agriculture and capability development across agriculture, fisheries and forestry.

The announcement builds on last year's elevation of the relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, marking fifty years of diplomatic relations.

McClay says Vietnam and New Zealand's trade relationship continues to go from strength to strength, and the new arrangement reflects a high level of trust between the two countries.

EPA halves backlog for hazardous substances approvals

Farmers and growers are getting faster access to crop protection products, with the Environmental Protection Authority halving its application backlog since July 2024 and completing sixty-six hazardous substances assessments in 2025/26 — its highest annual total since 2018/19.

Environment Minister Nicola Grigg says the improvement follows years of frustration from growers about lengthy approval processes delaying access to new products.

The number of applications awaiting assessment has fallen by more than a third over the past year, with the EPA processing applications faster while maintaining environmental and health protections.

Broader reforms to the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act are also progressing, with the amendment bill expected to report back from the Primary Production Select Committee in September. The reforms aim to streamline processes and allow better use of overseas regulatory assessments to speed up approvals.

New Zealand's top butchers crowned at national awards

New Zealand's best butchers have been recognised at the National Butchery Awards in Auckland, with titles awarded across three categories after an intense two-hour cutting competition.

Rhys Tamanui from Waipawa Butchery in Hawke's Bay won the Young Butcher of the Year title. Head judge Peter Martin noted Tamanui had shown remarkable improvement over the years, finishing third at the World Butchers' Challenge last year and stepping up again with exceptional knife skills and creative products.

Cody Burbery from PAK'nSAVE Te Awamutu took out the Butcher Apprentice of the Year, backing up a strong cutting performance with a high written exam score and impressive interview result.

The Foodie Fighters — Luka Young, Calum Sutherland and Bryce Gyde — claimed the Master Butcher Teams Challenge trophy after going close last year.

Both individual winners earn all-expenses-paid trips to the 2028 World Butchers' Challenge.