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Thank you for inviting me here today to close your conference.

But more importantly thank you for your commitment to Rural Support Trusts.

It has been a busy year – droughts, floods, storms and earthquakes.

Unfortunately, I am unable to stand here and tell you that it is going to get any easier; instead it looks like you are in for a busy summer.

Tomorrow I’m heading to Northland – where it’s my expectation I will see a very serious situation.

Good morning. Thank you Jim (Cotman) for the introduction.

Here in the Waikato, I certainly don’t need to tell this audience how vitally important the dairy industry is to the New Zealand economy.

As I’ve said previously, South Africa has diamonds, Australia has minerals, Saudi Arabia has oil – and in New Zealand we have farming based on pasture.

Dairy holds the lion’s share of our primary production system.

Good morning ladies and gentlemen.

Thank you, Chris (Laidlaw) for your introduction.. I am pleased to have the opportunity to help set the scene at this water symposium.

I would like to acknowledge our hosts, the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council. Can I also acknowledge my ministerial colleague, Hon. Nick Smith and my parliamentary colleagues, Chris Tremain and Craig Foss.

Everyone here today has a clear goal of working together on future planning for freshwater.

Good morning. Can I firstly acknowledge Federated Farmers' President Don Nicolson, Vice-president Donald Aubrey, National Council members and CEO Conor English.

It gives me great pleasure to be opening today's session on dairy farming and sustainability.

Good evening everyone and welcome to the launch of Ten Years of Grassroots Action.

I am very pleased to be here today to express the New Zealand Government's support for the relationship between Wageningen University and Research Centre and Massey University, and specifically our

Mr Chairman,

The four questions posed in this session all point to APEC's required response and actions to ensure food security.

Good afternoon everyone.

As the Minister responsible for animal welfare, it is a pleasure to be speaking at the annual Companion Animal Conference.

Good evening everyone.

This past month has been unlike any other I've experienced - from the extremes of storms from Waikato to Southland to the devastating earthquake in Canterbury.

Good afternoon distinguished guests, parliamentary colleagues, ladies and gentlemen.

Thank you Bill Falconer for the introduction. Thanks also to Tim Ritchie for inviting me here today to speak at your conference.

Thank you, Dr Scott Champion for the introduction.

Thank you also to the Agri-Women's Development Trust for inviting me here today to launch this important initiative.

Good morning everyone and thank you, Professor Field, for your introduction.

It's great to have an opportunity to talk about where we want our dairy industry to be in 20 years time.

Good morning everyone.

Thank you to members of the Western Institute of Technology council, and the Taratahi board for inviting me to be here in Taranaki with you today.

Good morning, thank you for inviting me to speak to you this morning.

Good afternoon everyone.

Good morning ladies and gentlemen.

Thank you Andrew Fenton for your introduction.

It's a pleasure to be here today to open Horticulture New Zealand's annual conference.

Good evening ladies and gentlemen.

Thank you Nick Pyke for your introduction, I am delighted to be here in Ashburton for the Foundation for Arable Research conference.

Ministerial colleague Peter Dunne, fellow MPs, Commission chairman John Acland, ladies and gentlemen: thank you for being here today to launch the New Zealand Walking Access Commission's Outdoor Ac

 Thank you for inviting me to speak to you today.

Good evening.

Great to be here, and as most of you started at 2am this morning I'll keep my remarks brief!

Good morning, it's a pleasure to be here with you today.

Good morning ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for inviting me here this morning.

It's my pleasure to be here talking with you about New Zealand agriculture.