Rural Life

Growing pasture, efficiency and profit

Southland dairy farmers Steven and Hayley Clarke, with their son Jordie, hosted a field day showcasing their passion for maximising pasture growth and utilising it in their system. Shawn McAvinue...

Dairy

'Utter madness': Farmers vote to sell iconic dairy brands to French company

Fonterra's farmer shareholders have voted overwhelmingly to sell brands including Mainland and Anchor to a French company in a move described by Winston Peters as "utter madness".

Growing pasture, efficiency and profit

Growing pasture, efficiency and profit

Southland dairy farmers Steven and Hayley Clarke, with their son Jordie, hosted a field day showcasing their passion for maximising pasture growth and utilising it in their system. Shawn McAvinue...
Growing feed on farm best practice — Fonterra

Growing feed on farm best practice — Fonterra

Home-grown feed is the superhero of the dairy industry, Fonterra on-farm performance programme manager Louise Cook says.
Dairy farmer grateful for community help

Dairy farmer grateful for community help

After losing over $16,000 worth of milk, and working 40 hours straight, one Western Southland dairy farmer is in awe of the support from her rural community.

Red Meat

Alliance Group owns six processing plants throughout New Zealand, including Lorneville, Mataura...

Alliance votes to sell 65% stake

It's a Dawn deal.

Access to farms wanted to shoot wild deer

Access to farms wanted to shoot wild deer

A team at a new wild deer processing plant in Dunedin are calling for hunting access to southern farms with an overabundance of the animals.
Alliance votes to sell 65% stake

Alliance votes to sell 65% stake

It's a Dawn deal.
It’s drench resistance, not a death sentence

It’s drench resistance, not a death sentence

Drench resistance is already hitting farm profits — it is not just a future problem.

Horticulture

Carrfields developing R&D site for plant innovation

Canterbury's family-owned Carrfields Group is developing a multimillion-dollar research and development farm for seed and plant innovation.

Carrfields developing R&D site

Carrfields developing R&D site

Canterbury's family-owned Carrfields Group is developing a multimillion-dollar research and development farm for seed and plant innovation.
New factory set to double processing capacity

New factory set to double processing capacity

French owners of jam, juice and sauce company Barker’s will start processing at a new factory near Geraldine by the end of the year as part of a $50 million to $60m expansion project.
Ingka manages 30,000ha of forests

Ingka manages 30,000ha of forests

INGKA Investments is the investment arm of Ingka Group, the largest retailer of Ikea home furnishings.

People

Rugby camps light ‘a a bit of a fire’ for teen

Northern Southland teenager Grace Duthie ditched city living to return to her country roots and started enjoying playing rugby again.

Position as Pāmu manager fulfilling

Position as Pāmu manager fulfilling

Mace Lee is back to manage a "big beast" of a sheep and beef station between Outram and Lawrence.
Post-accident career taking off

Post-accident career taking off

A devastating accident on a dairy farm in 2022 led to a leg amputation and nearly three years on ACC for Thomas Hewitt.
Innovation an ongoing theme at Elm Grove dairy farm

Innovation an ongoing theme at Elm Grove dairy farm

An entrepreneurial spirit continues on a family dairy farm with a more than 170-year history on the Taieri.

Rural Events

Balfour Young Farmers Club member Anna Schollum and her dog take on the "Bark Up" challenge....

Dogs and humans ready for Bark Up

Get your dogs, your mates, warm up the vocal chords, because the Balfour "Bark Up" is right around the corner.

Adapting to Aussie rules a challenge

Adapting to Aussie rules a challenge

Palmerston triallist Lloyd Smith and his heading dog Code are in a team out to beat their Australian rivals and bring home the Wayleggo Cup.
And the winners are . . .

And the winners are . . .

"Absolutely thrilled to bits" was the reaction from Southland farmer Mark Thomson after learning he and his wife, Elspeth, were the winners of this year’s Otago Daily Times-Rural Life Rural...
A&P Show set to make strong return

A&P Show set to make strong return

The Canterbury A&P Show has bounced back from near cancellation last year to have full livestock pens and trade exhibitor sites.

Search form

Search form

Rural Events

Connect with Rural Life