LIC semen probe results to be made public
The result of two probes into the supply of bad sire semen to over 1100 LIC farmer customers will be made public next month.
The final judging is underway to determine the winners in the 2014 New Zealand dairy award winners.
The winners will be announced at a sold-out black tie event attended by 650 people at Auckland's Sky City Hotel on May 9. About $170,000 in prizes are up for grabs in the New Zealand Sharemilker/Equity Farmer of the Year, New Zealand Farm Manager of the Year and New Zealand Dairy Trainee of the Year competitions.
Judging started on Monday (April 28) for the 11 sharemilker/equity farmer and 11 farm manager regional finalists. A team of three judges – a farmer, banker and farm adviser – spend two hours on each finalist's farm to critique the finalist and their farm business. The task takes the sharemilker/equity farmer judges from Winton, in Southland, to Whataroa, on the West Coast, and to Ohaewai, in Northland. The last of the regional finalists, the Auckland/Hauraki representatives, are judged on Tuesday (May 7).
The final judging component, an interview, takes place in Auckland on Thursday May 8.
"It's a pretty rigorous schedule for the judges, as they travel thousands of kilometres and traverse a variety of properties and meet a range of passionate and ambitious dairy farmers at varying stages of their dairy farming careers," national convenor Chris Keeping says.
"What the judging process does do is identify some great and innovative practices that are taking place on farms across the country, as well as tap into the enthusiasm the finalists have for their farm business and for the dairy industry."
The New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards are supported by national sponsors Westpac, DairyNZ, Ecolab, Federated Farmers, Fonterra, Honda Motorcycles NZ, LIC, Meridian Energy, Ravensdown, RD1 and Triplejump, along with industry partner Primary ITO.
Information on all the finalists can be found at www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz.
Nine lucky school leavers passionate about farming will join Pamu for a two-year journey into agriculture, living and working at Pamu farm, Aratiatia near Taupo.
Nutritionists are urging Kiwis to kickstart their day with a piece of fresh fruit to help improve their health and wellbeing this autumn.
Under its innovation strategy, Craigmore Sustainables says it is collaborating with new innovators of technology across sustainability, people, animals and business management to enhance New Zealand's dairy sector.
Deeply cynical and completely illogical. That's how Kimberly Crewther, the executive director of DCANZ is describing the Canadian government's flagrant breach of international trade law in refusing to open its market to New Zealand dairy exports.
This week the winner of the prestigious Ahuwhenua Trophy for the top Māori Dairy farm will be announced at a gala dinner in Hamilton.
Once-a-day milking (OAD) can increase or lower the amounts of proteins in milk, according to a new study published in the journal Dairy.
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