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Dairy buoyant

Rabobank's Bruce Weir says not surprisingly, dairy farmers continue to be the most optimistic of all the sector groupings.

The Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey found farmers' expectations for their own business operations had also improved, with the net reading on this measure lifting to +37% from +19% previously.

Farmer confidence flowing back

Beef + Lamb chair Kate Acland says there are signs of cautious optimism.

Confidence is flowing back into the farming sector on the back of higher dairy and meat prices, easing interest rates and a more farmer-friendly regulatory environment.

Lifestyle block owner fined $4,200

A lifestyle block owner was fined $4,200 for breaching the Animal Welfare Act.

A Nelson lifestyle block owner has been fined $4,200 after she failed to treat a cow suffering from severe cancer eye.

Proposed cuts to rural post deliveries to hit communities

A proposal to reduce postal delivery frequency from five days to three days per week in rural areas has irked farmers.

Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) says proposed changes to rural deliveries mean NZ Post is putting commercial viability ahead of the needs of rural communities.

More kiwifruit to be grown overseas

Up to 420 additional hectares of Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit per year will be planted in Italy, France, Japan, South Korea and Greece over the next six years.

Kiwifruit marketer Zespri got the go-ahead from New Zealand kiwifruit growers to increase their plantings of its fruit overseas.

McClay off to India - again

Almost a year to the day from when he made his first trip to India, Trade Minister Todd McClay is jetting off there again just before Christmas.

Trade barriers costing hort exporters $135m

The Horticulture Export Authority says non-tariff trade measures continue to remain a problem for exporters.

Non-tariff trade measures (NTM) remain a problem for NZ exporters, according to Horticulture Export Authority (HEA) chief executive Simon Hegarty.

Drought looms

Farmers on the east coast of the North Island are facing a quandary as hot, dry weather and dropping soil moisture levels persist.

Tributes for leader

Tributes have flowed in from around the country for mid-Canterbury farming leader Chris Allen who died in a tragic accident on his farm near Ashburton.

Bird flu 'unlikely to have trade impact'

The avian influenza won't impact New Zealand's trade ties as we have a good reputation overseas for our biosecurity system.

A marketing expert says it’s unlikely that the recent outbreak of avian influenza on an Otago poultry farm will have a significant impact on New Zealand’s trade relationships.