Yvonne O'Hara

Southern Rural Life reporter Yvonne O’Hara  looks at  issues affecting the shearing sector, particularly training and crossbred wool returns.

Educating secondary school pupils about career options in the wool harvesting industry and providing improved pastoral care for its workers are two of the arms and aims of proposed pilot programmes...

Sheep farming in South Otago is a far cry from Kate Wilson’s previous life in Canada.

Like many in the pork industry, North Otago pig farmer Ian Carter is dependent on experienced and skilled migrant workers to run his 318ha, 2000 pig, 700 cattle operation.

If the New Zealand pork industry cannot get the qualified staff it needs from overseas, its ability to manage production will be affected, New Zealand Pork chief executive David Baines says.

Chris and Desiree Giles, of Waimumu Downs, use their property as a giant interactive learning platform for children from the 16 eastern Southland schools.

About 7ha of drained wetlands on a Waipahi dairy farm is being restored to as near as possible to what it was 50 years ago.

Dairy effluent is being used to power an Isla Bank milking shed and mitigate methane emissions at the same time.

A viticulture technician with a sheep and beef background is to represent Central Otago.

Five Fonterra suppliers have earned blocks of cheese and plaques as recognition for being grade free for 10 years or more, for the past season.

The new Federated Farmers Otago provincial dairy chairman never expected to be a dairy farmer.

Manaia Tiller (12), of Pomahaka, has won the Southern Districts Royal Agricultural Society champion beef herdsperson title.

Although the short term changes for temporary work visa holders in New Zealand announced last week have provided some relief to farmers, for some rural contractors, they do not go far enough.

South Otago wool harvesters now have improved after-hours access to health and social services advice and support as part of a pilot ‘rural navigator’ programme.

People in Otago and Southland wishing to train in agriculture will have another option next year.

Katie Gunn (17), of Roxburgh, describes the three-day "Meat Your Career" camp at Telford last week as "amazing" and "pretty cool".

Inch Clutha dairy farmers Donna and Brendon Weir are passionate about their cows and proud to be dairy farmers.

A Central Otago lamb has been found to feature in a film following last week’s shout out in the Otago Daily Times.

Michael Grimes and Caolan Duffy only planned to be in New Zealand for six months, working for an Alexandra contractor, but they are unable to return home to Ireland.