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Is New Zealand's science system broken?

Doug Edmeades believes that agricultural research in NZ is already on its knees.

OPINION: It is official - New Zealand's science system is broken.

Editorial: A wake-up call!

If agricultural export returns fall, who will provide the revenue for NZ to pay its bills?

OPINION: Reality is going to smack New Zealand in the face this year and it should be the wake-up call the Government needs to reset its priorities around agriculture.

Watch out!

OPINION: A mate of the Hound’s reckons the recent number of tractor sales, or more correctly, a lack of them, is a warning sign of a coming rural recession.

Worm turns

OPINION: Your canine crusader hears that Andrew Morrison's demise as Beef+Lamb chair came full circle for one of his early backers.

Timely reminder

OPINION: The Hound reckons former Beef+Lamb NZ chair Andrew Morrison's fate in losing his seat in recent levypayer elections should be a big lesson to other levy organisation leaders.

Farmer power!

OPINION: Your old mate notes that the Dutch Pro-Farmer Party recently swept the elections in the country, very much upsetting the status quo.

'Craic'ing on mastering big machines

Irish woman Leanne Hartnett is doing her first season in New Zealand as a rural contractor and loving it.

Leanne Hartnett, a 25 year old Irish woman doing her first season in New Zealand as a rural contractor, is loving the life here.

Cyclone stings beekeepers

Beekeepers in parts of the country badly hit by Cyclone Gabrielle and other storms are still struggling to get access to their hives.

Tractor sales begin to retreat

Year-to-date sales to the end of February 2023 show 440 tractors were sold – compared to 592 units for the same period in 2022 – a fall of 25.7%.

Recent reports from the Tractor and Machinery Association (TAMA) suggest that the recently buoyant tractor market might be 'coming off the boil'.

Mallard ducks off to Irish junket

Our new ambassador to Ireland Trevor Mallard believes that country is very important politically for NZ in terms of dealing with the European Union now that an FTA with the EU has been agreed.

Trevor Mallard has had a colourful career. Now he's got his dream job as Ambassador to Ireland - a country which shares much in common with NZ. Before he left for Ireland, Mallard spoke with Peter Burke.