- BreakingOn the farm: A wrap of what's happening in the regions
Country Life - Docking's started in blustery weather in the North and in Te Waipounamu it was a wild week for many on both sides of the main divide.
- 11 hours ago, 18 Sep 20, 7:00pm - - Plug pulled on 2021 Marlborough Wine and Food Festival
Organisers of next February's Marlborough Wine & Food Festival have pulled the plug early.
- 1 day ago, 17 Sep 20, 9:52pm - - Fonterra posts $659m full year profit
The dairy co-operative has put last year's massive loss of $605 million behind it with a full year profit of $659m.
- 1 day ago, 17 Sep 20, 9:32pm - - Farmers and growers call for help with labour shortages
Farmers and growers say if agriculture is going to drag the country's economy back into shape, they will need help to fix labour shortages.
- 1 day ago, 17 Sep 20, 7:59pm - - Rural property market sales rebound
The Real Estate Institute thinks the resilience primary industries have shown during the Covid-19 pandemic has helped boost confidence in the sector.
- 2 days ago, 17 Sep 20, 3:25am - - Three egg companies allowed to be whisked together
The Commerce Commission has approved a three-way merger in the egg industry.
- 2 days ago, 17 Sep 20, 2:54am - - Dog required to be muzzled in public after attack on sheep
A Siberian husky has been classified as menacing and will be required to be muzzled in public after it attacked sheep in Stanley Whitehead Reserve.
- 3 days ago, 16 Sep 20, 6:18am - - Waikato A&P Show cancelled due to uncertainty around Covid-19
The Waikato A&P Show, due to get underway late next month, has been cancelled due to the uncertainty around Covid-19.
- 3 days ago, 16 Sep 20, 1:41am - - DOC relying too much on hunters to control tahr - Forest & Bird
Forest & Bird is alarmed that some conservation land where tahr numbers need to be reduced is excluded from the plan for control operations this year.
- 4 days ago, 14 Sep 20, 8:20pm - - Greens warned fertiliser tax 'will create pressure on farmers'
The Green Party is being warned that a fertiliser levy is not a solution to more sustainable farming.
- 5 days ago, 13 Sep 20, 7:43pm - - Growers relish in Green Party's agriculture policy, but National opposes
The Green Party's agriculture policy is being given the green thumb by organic growers, but the National Party is labelling it a slap in the face.
- 7 days ago, 12 Sep 20, 6:41am - - Greens promise $300M for climate friendly farming
Almost $300 million to support more climate friendly agricultural practices has been promised by the Green Party.
- 7 days ago, 12 Sep 20, 5:15am - - On the farm: a wrap of what's happening in the regions
Country Life: More kiwifruit blocks are being planted in South Auckland and lambs are skipping around paddocks with the sun on their backs.
- 7 days ago, 11 Sep 20, 7:32pm - - Covid demands add more spice to wine's international success
A sauvignon blanc from Nelson winery Seifried Estate has won gold at an international event in Germany.
- 8 days ago, 11 Sep 20, 6:19pm - - NZ Dairy Industry awards review complete
An independent review into the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards revocation of the national title has been completed.
- 8 days ago, 11 Sep 20, 4:58am - - Fears for harvest as seasonal workers locked out due to Covid-19
Hawke's Bay growers are facing a serious seasonal labour shortage as the reality of Covid-19 sinks in.
- 8 days ago, 11 Sep 20, 4:34am - - MPI launches independent review into livestock shipments after Gulf Livestock 1 tragedy
The Ministry for Primary Industries has launched an independent review into processes around transporting livestock by sea.
- 8 days ago, 11 Sep 20, 4:17am - - Concern border exceptions won't ease labour shortage but dairy sector reassured
Fruit and vege growers say visa extensions for temporary workers do little to help the looming shortage of seasonal workers, but DairyNZ says it will give farmers certainty to plan for the future.
- 9 days ago, 10 Sep 20, 4:44am - - Sanford chief executive Volker Kuntzsch resigns
The chief executive of the seafood company Sanford has resigned.
- 9 days ago, 10 Sep 20, 1:47am - - Calls for improved monitoring or total ban on live exports
The former chair of the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee wants the practice stopped. It comes in the wake of the sinking of the Gulf Livestock 1 resulting in the loss of crew and cattle.
- 10 days ago, 9 Sep 20, 8:57am -
- US pandemic crisis stalls delivery of quad bikes for NZ farmers
Covid-19 has hit the farming community in an unexpected way: it is drying up the supply of farm vehicles such as quad bikes.
- 10 days ago, 9 Sep 20, 4:17am - - Demand for Merino wool drops 40 percent
Demand for Merino wool has taken a hit, with fine wool prices at auction back by about 40 percent on this time last year.
- 10 days ago, 8 Sep 20, 11:30pm - - Farmers seek clarity on future of live exports
The government is being urged to make a quick decision on what it will do about live export ships, as thousands of cows on quarantine farms face slaughter.
- 11 days ago, 8 Sep 20, 6:44am - - Horticultural industry pushes for extended visas for workers
The horticultural sector is calling for its guest workers to be next in line to have their visa restrictions eased.
- 13 days ago, 6 Sep 20, 12:05am - - Political parties weigh in on live exports after Gulf Livestock 1 tragedy
The sinking of livestock export ship Gulf Livestock 1 is igniting calls for political parties to ban the live shipments of animals. Here's what they have to say on the subject.
- 14 days ago, 4 Sep 20, 9:16pm - - Missing cattle export ship: Second survivor dies
A second survivor of the livestock vessel that disappeared in the East China Sea has died.
- 15 days ago, 4 Sep 20, 5:05am - - Hawke's Bay farmer drought fund set for $200,000 underspend
A mayoral fund to help Hawke's Bay farmers cope with one of the worst droughts ever will likely be underspent.
- 16 days ago, 3 Sep 20, 2:33am - - Ship carrying two NZ crew members and live export missing in East China Sea
The Minister for Foreign Affairs has confirmed two New Zealanders were on board a ship missing in a typhoon in the East China Sea.
- 16 days ago, 3 Sep 20, 2:07am - - Microplastic research reveals impact reaches underground food chains
Researchers in China say the contaminant has significant impacts on some of the "tiny critters" that live in the dirt.
- 17 days ago, 2 Sep 20, 3:18am - - Dairy industry proves durable under Covid-19 - NZIER report
Dairy sales have gained strength despite the pandemic but the industry could be undermined by government policy, an NZIER report says.
- 17 days ago, 2 Sep 20, 2:13am - - Tour reinforces Taranaki residents' fears over stinking plant
A tour of a business treating oil and gas drilling waste in Taranaki meant to soothe neighbours concerns about foul smells and environmental damage has ended up reinforcing their worst fears.
- 17 days ago, 1 Sep 20, 11:27pm - - Red meat sector issues pointers for politicians
Unbalanced climate change mitigation could threaten productive farmland, says a new report offering recommendations to politicians for keeping the red meat sector thriving.
- 19 days ago, 30 Aug 20, 8:18pm - - Marlborough wine industry to celebrate, after hard slog during Covid
The wine industry reacted well to the Covid-19 pandemic, and is now keen to recognise the wines that resulted from that period, Wine Marlborough says.
- 19 days ago, 30 Aug 20, 7:41pm - - Call for changes to reporting and policing of animal welfare issues on farms
An animal welfare campaigner is calling for changes to reporting and policing of animal welfare issues on farms.
- 23 days ago, 27 Aug 20, 7:52am - - RSE workers stranded in NZ: 'Tonga needs to look after its own citizens' - employer
A large Hawke's Bay fruit grower fears for the well being of Pacific Island workers still unable to return home and says Tongan authorities must help out.
- 24 days ago, 26 Aug 20, 4:08am - - M bovis investigations for 28 more farms after milk tests
Bulk milk testing for Mycoplasma bovis has this month picked up 28 dairy farms requiring further investigation.
- 25 days ago, 25 Aug 20, 2:37am - - Venison hits six-year slump due to Covid-19
The impact of Covid-19 on the restaurant trade is expected to see returns for deer farmers slump to a six-year low this spring.
- 26 days ago, 24 Aug 20, 7:33am - - Rural vet sees grass staggers cow disease spike
Having only recently escaped drought, a mild winter on the Hauraki Plains is now creating a different challenge for farmers; grass staggers.
- 26 days ago, 24 Aug 20, 4:26am - - Auckland Covid-19 borders causing problems for farmers south of the city
Farmers around Auckland's southern border are finding themselves unable to check their stock, and having to drive vast distances to get feed and equipment.
- 29 days ago, 20 Aug 20, 10:00pm - - Councillor joins protest against live export of dairy cows
A small group of activists have held a "vigil" and picketed the offices of Port Taranaki in protest at the live export of dairy cows to China.
- 30 days ago, 20 Aug 20, 3:53am - - Some farmers can't access stock due to Auckland border restrictions
Farmers with properties either side of Auckland's southern border are frustrated they haven't been able to check stock or get essential supplies because of the alert level 3 lockdown.
- 31 days ago, 18 Aug 20, 8:45pm - - Dairy prices fall to two-month low at global auction
Prices have fallen in the global dairy auction overnight, to their lowest level in two months.
- 31 days ago, 18 Aug 20, 6:42pm - - Auckland checkpoints could impact flow of produce
Pukekohe vegetable growers are warning Covid-19 checkpoints in their area could slow the flow of produce to supermarkets and other retailers.
- 33 days ago, 17 Aug 20, 4:33am - - Tokoroa Covid-19 cases spark unease in vulnerable rural areas
A rural health lecturer is concerned by the appearance of Covid-19 in a rural community, given what he says is their vulnerability to the virus.
- 35 days ago, 15 Aug 20, 4:16am - - Three Waikato farmers fined a total of $116k for illegal effluent discharge
They were prosecuted under the Resource Management Act by the Waikato Regional Council in the Hamilton District Court.
- 37 days ago, 12 Aug 20, 11:55pm - - Auckland greengrocers left out of trading in level 3 again
Horticulture New Zealand is frustrated that independent greengrocers in the Auckland area are being forced to close under the level 3 lockdown.
- 38 days ago, 12 Aug 20, 5:02am - - No 'farming versus forestry approach' for northern Hawke's Bay
The Hawke's Bay Regional Council insists it's not pursuing a "farming versus forestry" strategy, as a Wairoa farmer fears a report commissioned by the council is a nail in the coffin.
- 38 days ago, 12 Aug 20, 5:00am - - Federated Farmers wants agricultural workers allowed into the country
Millions of dollars' worth of production is at risk if the government doesn't allow agricultural machinery operators into New Zealand, Federated Farmers claims.
- 39 days ago, 11 Aug 20, 8:31am - - Tractor training academy aims to fill Covid-19 labour shortages
The five-day courses run by Ag Drive near Cambridge are being supported by the Ministry of Social Development.
- 39 days ago, 11 Aug 20, 5:51am - - Covid-19, China-US trade war contributed to declining leather trade
The Covid-19 pandemic and the China-US trade war have both played a big part in the troubles affecting the leather industry.
- 39 days ago, 11 Aug 20, 3:19am - - UK goat farm abuse claims lead OIO to investigate owner's NZ investments
The Overseas Investment Office has told RNZ it is looking into allegations of animal abuse on a British goat farm - whose owner also has investments in New Zealand.
- 40 days ago, 10 Aug 20, 2:58am - - Calf corpses could go uncollected due to leather prices
Hundreds of thousands of dead animals risk being left uncollected on farms because of a collapse in the price of leather.
- 40 days ago, 10 Aug 20, 12:59am - - More farmers to be covered by regional drought relief fund
The Hawke's Bay Rural Advisory Group has broadened the eligibility criteria of the regional drought relief fund to support more farmers.
- 43 days ago, 6 Aug 20, 9:57pm - - Animal welfare concerns threaten $9.1 billion meat export trade
NZ's lucrative meat export industry faces mounting scrutiny over animal welfare from European trading partners and overseas supermarkets.
- 46 days ago, 3 Aug 20, 8:37pm - - Kiwi company developing survey to help uncover worker exploitation
A Hawke's Bay company believes it will be the first in the world to develop a mobile friendly survey to uncover serious workers rights problems in horticulture.
- 49 days ago, 1 Aug 20, 3:02am - - Covid-19 brings home the bacon for food banks
The gruesome prospect of mass slaughters of pigs on farms because of over-supply prompted the government to buy 12,000 carcasses during lockdown - and donate them to food banks.
- 50 days ago, 31 Jul 20, 7:27am - - Legal action begins as kiwifruit plantings in China soar
Illegal plantings of New Zealand's high valued gold kiwifruit variety have almost doubled in the past six months in China.
- 50 days ago, 31 Jul 20, 4:32am - - Farmers say new land bill has too much red tape
Farmers and environmentalists are divided over proposed changes to the laws governing the high country.
- 50 days ago, 30 Jul 20, 7:39pm - - End of a golden kiwifruit career
Russell Lowe has spent almost 50 years selecting, observing, propagating and tasting kiwifruit at Plant and Food Research in Te Puke, but now he's retiring.
- 56 days ago, 25 Jul 20, 1:25am - - Farmlands changes tack on job losses in Dunedin office
A "passionate" response from Dunedin staff has led Farmlands to move to try to keep all of its staff in the city in a job, despite a proposal to move them to Christchurch.
- 56 days ago, 24 Jul 20, 10:47pm -
