Government Launches New Rural Leadership Scholarship
The Government has announced a new rural scholarship designed to back emerging primary sector leaders.
The New Zealand National Fieldays Society is encouraging teachers to register school groups for the 2026 National Fieldays, set to be held at Mystery Creek Events Centre from 10-13 June.
Discounted student tickets will be available for groups of 10 or more at $10 each, a 45% discount off the standard child rate.
The New Zealand National Fieldays Society, which owns and operates the Fieldays event, says the Careers & Education Hub will be the central starting point for school visits, supported by a Careers Trail on the Fieldays App that helps students explore training and employment pathways across the event.
More than 70 sites are part of the Careers Trail, bringing together training providers, support organisations and employers keen to connect with future talent.
Halter's marketing and events specialist, Lily Foote-Caughey, says the company is excited to be part of the Careers & Education Hub.
"At Halter, we believe the future of farming is being built right now, and we want students to know there's a place in it for them," Foote-Caughey says.
Meanwhile, Steve Chappell, the New Zealand National Fieldays Society's programme manager, says that each year, more schools choose Fieldays because it gives their students a practical window into future careers and real-world learning.
"From hands-on pathways into agriculture and related industries, through to science, technology and sustainability-focused roles, students can meet the people behind the work and see what those jobs look like in practice," Chappell says.
Alongside the Careers & Education Hub, points of interest for students include the Fieldays Forestry Hub, the Fieldays Innovation Hub, the Fieldays Drone Zone, and Fieldays Tent Talks in association with the University of Waikato, offering short sessions that support learning conversations around innovation, sustainability and future skills.
Schools can register on the Fieldays website to access their group booking discount and plan their visit.
Oamaru-based livestock handling specialist Te Pari has bought Combi Clamp, the New Zealand manufacturer of Combi Clamp manual sheep handlers.
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has admitted that a scheme bringing workers from Pacific nations to work on orchards has become too hard to navigate but says changes are coming.
A new app designed in New Zealand aims to help sheep, beef and deer farmers capture, analyse and use body condition score data more effectively.
Canterbury farmer Andy Macfarlane has been appointed to the board of AgriZeroNZ, the public-private partnership designed to accelerate the development and deployment of emissions reduction tools for New Zealand farmers.
For over 50 years Mel Ewers has been supporting the apple sector navigate through compliance and quality assurance issues.
The apple sector is enjoying a bumper harvest season.

A fair question has been raised about how member-funded organisations should conduct themselves when taking a public position on any…
OPINION: It really is getting harder to lampoon government bureaucrats when they do such a good job of it themselves.…