Weather back to normal?
MetService meteorologist James Millward says the country’s weather patterns are now on a much more even footing.
El Nino seems to be setting farmers up for a cold spring, according to MetService.
Meteorologist Georgina Griffiths says September will likely bring more storms with winds from west south-west and lower pressures over the country. MetService predicted a cold August and that has materialised.
Griffiths told Rural News the temperatures over the past few months have been a shock and it’s been a long time since New Zealand has had a winter like this temperature-wise.
“It’s probably been about five years since we have had temperatures like this in the North Island. In the South Island June was patchy and the temperatures swung; it was bitterly cold with snow in late April and May and into the start of June.
“July was cold again for the South Island. We had a very high incidence of frosts in the North Island and in much of the South Island.”
Griffiths says rainfall-wise it’s been mixed with parts of Canterbury only recently getting its first good rain in a long time. It’s been sopping wet in Otago Southland, and Manawatu has also had a rough time with heavy rain. Northern regions have been relatively dry though sometimes patchy.
Overall it’s been dry in the east and wet in western regions.
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) director general Ray Smith says job cuts announced this morning will not impact the way the Ministry is organised or merge business units.
Scales Corporation is acquiring a number of orchard assets from Bostock Group.
Family and solidarity shone through at the 75 years of Ferdon sale in Otorohanga last month.
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has informed staff it will cut 391 jobs following a consultation period.
New Zealand farmers are committed to making their businesses more resilient to climate change and are embracing innovation to help them do so.
Atiamuri farmers Paul and Lesley Grey never gave up their dream of owning their own farm – and in 2020, that dream came true.
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