Editorial: Punching Above Our Weight
OPINION: With 10,500 dairy farms, New Zealand continues to punch above its weight around the world.
Former Fonterra chairman Sir Henry van der Heyden will be offering his thoughts on the future of the NZ dairy industry in a webinar this Wednesday (May 13).
Organised by the Waikato Rural Support Trust, the online session will feature van der Heyden and former Fonterra director Mark Townshend, Ngatea.
The Waikato RST says the webinar will be “a relaxed Q&A session”.
It says the two industry leaders will “discus why it is so important to embrace change and see the opportunities it provides”.
Van der Heyden has mostly stayed away from commenting on the dairy industry since he retired as Fonterra chairman in 2012 after 10 years at the helm of the co-op.
Townshend, a founding director of Fonterra has dairying interests in New Zealand (Hauraki, Canterbury, Southland), North America and South America.
A Palmerston North shearer has been sentenced to six months' community detention and 12 months' supervision after being found to have physically abused three lambs while shearing them.
Power Farming has launched a joint venture in Southland.
Food rescue charity Meet the Need has released its 2025/26 Impact Report, revealing a record year of growth alongside a stark warning: demand for food support across New Zealand is rising faster than supply can keep up.
As we move into the second half of 2026, the Tractor and Machinery Association (TAMA) reports that Year-to-Date figures ending June 30 saw new tractor deliveries hitting 1,386 units or 10.7% ahead of the same period in 2025.
The avocado sector is entering the new season with a larger crop and positive market opportunities.
New Zealand growers have always adapted to changing conditions, but one challenge is steadily gaining ground across the horticulture sector: resistance.
OPINION: The Irish dairy sector is facing a new dilemma - maintaining year-round fresh milk supplies.
OPINION: Could beef cows play an increasingly important role in improving profitability and resilience on hill country farms?