Sally Rae

When Sonja Dobbie entered the North Otago district final of the ANZ Young Farmer Contest, she did not expect to do well.

A former AgResearch principal scientist, who resigned over its restructuring plan, says morale is bad and there is a general sense among staff at the organisation of ''being very scared''.

Employment confidence has lifted to its highest level since the recession and global financial crisis of 2008-09.

Frances Coles knows all about dealing with increasing business administration demands.

When it comes to quirky workplaces, it is hard to look past Immersion Marketing's Bond St headquarters.

Debra Fallowfield's contemporary designer jewellery has adorned the likes of actress Tilda Swinton and rocker Jon Bon Jovi's wife. Now based back in Otago, she talks to business reporter Sally Rae.

Mother, businesswoman, design enthusiast and tourism advocate - North Otago woman Annabel Berry successfully manages to juggle a variety of different roles. She talks to business reporter Sally Rae.

When four Danish engineering students were looking for somewhere to complete a six-month internship, they chose Dunedin.

For years, the Milan furniture fair has been on design enthusiast Mark Cowden's list of ''must-go places''.

Two South Island-based milk processors have announced further expansion plans involving investments totalling more than $200 million.

An expectation of interest rates increasing and the likelihood of some easing in commodity prices over the next 12 months has seen a slip in farmer confidence.

Online crowd-funding platform PledgeMe has announced it is moving into equity crowd-funding - and founder Anna Guenther could not be more excited.

Logs lined up on wharves at New Zealand ports, awaiting export, are a symbol of what is wrong with the country, Labour leader David Cunliffe says.

Collaboration and partnerships.

''You wouldn't get a better landscape. Green is as much a part of it as the tawny brown landscape in the background. What are they worrying about? It fits in.''

Barry Shepherd remembers the days when he used to shoot rabbits on a property which is now Doug McIntyre's dairy farm.

Kees Zeestraten has spent close to $3 million trying to get water to irrigate Ohau Downs.