Hawke's Bay to the world
Rockit chief executive Mark O'Donnell says consumer awareness for the brand continues to improve each year.
Prime Minister John Key has praised the dairy industry for driving innovation and technology at the opening of Waikato Milking Systems new $13 million building in Hamilton today.
Key says the use of innovation and science is helping the industry succeed.
He says the size of the New Zealand dairy industry is often misunderstood overseas.
"When I go out and negotiate free trade deals around the world, people often think that we are bigger than we actually are,' he says.
"We only produce 3% of the world's milk; the issue is we are the biggest exporter because of our small domestic population.
"So, we export bulk of what we produce."
Key says New Zealand's dairy industry does this in "a completely unsubsidised way" and is still successful.
And part of the reason of this success is what companies like WMS do.
Key says WMS is driving innovation and technology and use of science.
"Anyone can milk cows and own big cows; the difficult issue to get level of production and productivity that that we getting."
Key also praised WMS for not only developing milking technology but exporting it around the world.
This is crucial to New Zealand's success, he says.
The country’s 4200 commercial fruit and vegetable growers will vote from May 14 on a new HortNZ levy.
Meat processor Alliance Group is asking farmer shareholders to inject more capital in order to remain a 100% co-operative.
A vet is calling for all animals to be vaccinated against a new strain of leptospirosis (lepto) discovered on New Zealand dairy farms in recent years.
Dairy
Rural banker Rabobank is partnering with Food Rescue Kitchen on a new TV series which airs this weekend that aims to shine a light on the real and growing issues of food waste, food poverty and social isolation in New Zealand.
Telco infrastructure provider Chorus says that it believes all Kiwis – particularly those in the rural areas – need access to high-speed, reliable broadband.