Rural Life

Protesters demand stop to dairy farm development

Protesters tried to storm the office of a Dunedin accountant this afternoon demanding he stop his plans for a large dairy farm development in the Mackenzie Basin.

Rural Life

Judicial review into MPI directive begins

A judicial review into a Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) directive to destroy or contain imported plantings at the centre of a national biosecurity scare is being held in Wellington this week.

PGG Wrightson net profit down, performance strong

PGG Wrightson net profit down, performance strong

PGG Wrightson has posted full-year operating ebitda of $70.2million, up from last year's $64.5million result, while net profit after tax of $18.9million was down from last year's $46.3million.
Stock-shooting investigation criticised

Stock-shooting investigation criticised

A Milton couple whose cow was killed in a series of livestock shootings in January have criticised police for a lack of progress on the investigation.
Aim to attract women to trucking life

Aim to attract women to trucking life

Encouraging more women to become truck drivers to address the road transport industry's shortage and to replace an ageing workforce will be discussed at the Road Transport Forum conference in...

'M. bovis' now in Tasman; fewer infected farms overall

'M. bovis' now in Tasman; fewer infected farms overall

A sheep and beef farm near Motueka has been confirmed as having Mycoplasma bovis, the first time the disease has been found in the Tasman region.
Union angry overseas workers brought to Southland

Union angry overseas workers brought to Southland

Alliance Group is under fire over a decision to bring in 100 overseas workers for its Southland plants.
Energy shift for Fonterra

Energy shift for Fonterra

Fonterra is moving from coal to renewable energy at its Stirling cheese factory, reducing its coal use by more than 9700tonnes a year.

Dairy

Protesters demand stop to dairy farm development

Protesters tried to storm the office of a Dunedin accountant this afternoon demanding he stop his plans for a large dairy farm development in the Mackenzie Basin.

'M. bovis' now in Tasman; fewer infected farms overall

'M. bovis' now in Tasman; fewer infected farms overall

A sheep and beef farm near Motueka has been confirmed as having Mycoplasma bovis, the first time the disease has been found in the Tasman region.
Hurrell appointed Fonterra interim CEO

Hurrell appointed Fonterra interim CEO

The winds of change continue to sweep Fonterra with the appointment of Miles Hurrell as interim chief executive.
Energy shift for Fonterra

Energy shift for Fonterra

Fonterra is moving from coal to renewable energy at its Stirling cheese factory, reducing its coal use by more than 9700tonnes a year.

Red Meat

Union angry overseas workers brought to Southland

Alliance Group is under fire over a decision to bring in 100 overseas workers for its Southland plants.

Supply pressure on lamb prices

Supply pressure on lamb prices

Procurement competition is expected to continue to put some upward pressure on lamb prices this month.
Sheep industry awards dropped for year

Sheep industry awards dropped for year

A decision has been made to drop the annual Beef + Lamb New Zealand (BLNZ) Sheep Industry Awards for a year.
Beef numbers increase in South

Beef numbers increase in South

Beef numbers are up in the lower south, despite the outbreak of Mycoplasma bovis in the past 12 months.

Horticulture

Horticulture NZ makes case for best food growing areas

Horticulture NZ wants the Government to develop a national food policy statement within the Resource Management Act to recognise the country's "elite" fruit and vegetable growing areas.

Dedication to fruit industry recognised

Dedication to fruit industry recognised

Earnscy Weaver has been a familiar figure in the Central Otago horticultural scene all his life.
Call to restart young growers group

Call to restart young growers group

Grant McKay, of Cromwell, would like to hear from young horticulturists and viticulturists who wish to help re-establish the Central Otago Young Growers Group.
Swede seed claims not compromised

Swede seed claims not compromised

The potential sale of PGG Wrightson Seed will have no impact on farmers tied up in the HT Swede debacle, the company says.

People

Two bobby calves graze pasture above Northeast Valley, Dunedin. Photo by Gerard O'Brien.

Our calving season has finally arrived

The biggest event on every dairy farmer's calendar is finally here, writes dairy farmer and Southern Rural Life columnist Bruce Eade.

Learning where the wool goes

Learning where the wool goes

More than 120 pupils from schools throughout South Otago are now clued up about what happens with wool once it leaves the farm gate.
Ag conference looks to the future

Ag conference looks to the future

Future-proofing and looking forward in the primary sector are priorities.
Call to restart young growers group

Call to restart young growers group

Grant McKay, of Cromwell, would like to hear from young horticulturists and viticulturists who wish to help re-establish the Central Otago Young Growers Group.