Australian teams to help repair North Canterbury irrigators after storm
Moves are afoot to get a team of Australians over here to help repair North Canterbury's irrigation machinery, ravaged by the big windstorm of late October.
Time is closing in on the search to find the best innovation in the New Zealand irrigation industry.
Innovation, discovery and achievement making a positive contribution to irrigation and efficient water management are set to be rewarded by the industry's national body with an award that aims to uncover the industry's progressive and exciting happenings.
Entries are due to close for the 'Innovation in Irrigation' award coordinated by Irrigation New Zealand in association with Aqualinc.
The 2012 award is run in conjunction with the association's conference and expo to be held in Timaru in April. Sponsored by Aqualinc the award carries a cash first prize of $2500, as well as recognition and kudos, not only for the award winner but also those entrants selected as finalists.
The award promotes innovation and the benefit irrigation provides to communities throughout New Zealand. This second biennial award is IrrigationNZ's way to recognise new invention, ideas, systems or gadgets.
"There are a lot of good things happening in the irrigation space and IrrigationNZ is looking to recognise and reward those positive initiatives being undertaken within the industry, also identifying the wider community benefits as a result of irrigation," IrrigationNZ business manager Chris Coughlan says.
Nominations from irrigators, schemes, water user groups, environmental groups, industry, university students and researcher close on February 15.
Finalist entries will be showcased, and the official award presentation held at the IrrigationNZ conference in Timaru from April 2-4.
New Zealand's primary sector is set to reach a record $62 billion in food and fibre exports next year.
A new levying body, currently with the working title of NZWool, has been proposed to secure the future of New Zealand's strong wool sector.
The most talked about, economically transformational pieces of legislation in a generation have finally begun their journey into the statute books.
Effective from 1 January 2026, there will be three new grower directors on the board of the Foundation for Arable Research (FAR).
The National Wild Goat Hunting Competition has removed 33,418 wild goats over the past three years.
New Zealand needs a new healthcare model to address rising rates of obesity in rural communities, with the current system leaving many patients unable to access effective treatment or long-term support, warn GPs.

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