Sally Rae

She might have a PhD in art history but Emily Goldthorpe is just as happy serving up fried egg tacos from a truck window on a city street.

Primary sector exports are forecast to grow again at 3% for the year to June 2017, with an expectation that global agricultural markets will "turn a corner'' next year.

Further government funding to support mental health initiatives in rural communities has been welcomed by the Otago Rural Support Trust.

Rural services company PGG Wrightson has increased its full-year operating profit guidance despite challenging conditions in the farming sector.

A call has been made for the creation of an independent body to enable the "hard conversations'' New Zealand needs to have over its primary sector.

From the outside, it appears to be a fairly nondescript building on the University of Otago campus.

The vast region of Inner Mongolia is an important agricultural producer in China. Agribusiness reporter Sally Rae pays a visit.

Hindon farmer Matt Sutton has shown he has what it takes to grow a prizewinning crop of swedes.

A visit to China has highlighted that the Silver Fern Farms-Shanghai Maling joint venture is a "real leg-up'' into the market, Federated Farmers meat and fibre president Rick Powdrell says.

Chilled meat exports to China are likely to be "some time away yet'', Silver Fern Farms chairman Rob Hewett says.

A group of Silver Fern Farms supplier shareholders, led by chairman Rob Hewett, recently flew to China, visiting Shanghai, Inner Mongolia and Beijing. Agribusiness reporter Sally Rae joined the group to learn more about opportunities, and challenges, in the country. 

Meat and dairy products led the fall in total manufacturing sales in the March quarter.

Port Chalmers dairy farmer Merrall MacNeille has suggested a pilot programme involving the University of Otago, Ministry for Primary Industries and himself, in an attempt to keep selling his milk.

Alex Worker jokingly refers to himself as "a failed Kiwi''.