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Roller-coaster ride for lavender farmer

Myra McLelland amid the rows of lavender on Lavendyl Farm, Kaikoura.

Giving up an IT career in the defence industry to run a lavender farm in New Zealand has been “a roller coaster ride” for British woman Myra McLelland.

How to keep horticulture growing

Last year (2016) was one of growth for horticulture.

Defining ‘sustainable’ really important

Industry giant Unilever has reported that one in five (21%) consumers “would choose a brand based on the belief that it was produced sustainably”.

Prepare for change — Editorial

The world changed, for better or worse, with the inauguration of Donald Trump as US President.

Approval for school programme to encourage agriculture

Scholarship students attending last year’s HortNZ conference are exactly the kind of young people the newly NZQA-approved programme is trying to encourage into the primary sector.

A programme designed to encourage school students into farming can now be used to gain NCEA credits.

Strong, smart women have firm sweeping along

Ireland’s farming technology resurgent: (from left) Julie Sinnamon, chief executive Enterprise Ireland; Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O’Connor TD; Clodagh Cavanagh, managing director Abbey Machinery, winner of the Anna May McHugh Female Leadership Award; Anna May McHugh, managing director National Ploughing Championships.

Irish women have played a key role in the success of an Irish agritech company now 70 years in the business.

Aussie cattle numbers expected to climb

Meat & Livestock Australia’s manager of market information Ben Thomas.

The Australian cattle herd is expected to increase in 2017 – its first increase in three years.

Guy praises helpers

The Minister for Primary Industries, Nathan Guy, says independent quake-relief volunteer efforts are “fantastic”, but he suggests farmers needing help get it via a Federated Farmers scheme.

More meat plant closures for Silver Fern Farms?

Silver Fern Farms (SFF), New Zealand’s biggest meat processor, says it cannot rule out plant closures as it aims to bounce back from a huge financial loss last year.

‘Endless’ agri career opportunities

Jack Keeys and Alanah Vinson who helped get the careers programme off the ground.

Applause has replaced eye rolling as university students launch a scheme to show secondary schoolers the career opportunities in the primary industries.