UK Politician Alistair Carmichael Praises "Positive Spirit" of NZ Farmers
A leading British farming politician says he's impressed with the positive attitude of New Zealand farmers that he met during his recent trip here.
The 2016 National Fieldays is underway with organisers hoping to bring town and country together in the advancement of agriculture.
The early morning fog has lifted, providing near-perfect weather conditions for visitors and exhibitors at the 48th annual event.
"There's no other event in New Zealand that truly caters for the whole family while bringing the latest developments in the agriculture industry to the fore," says Lee Picken, NZ National Fieldays Society head of events.
The popular Fieldays Innovation Centre is a must-see, with the potential to find the next big invention to change the way we do agribusiness in New Zealand and around the world.
At full capacity, the centre will see over 60 new products on display, alongside the Innovations Accelerator tent, housing invited companies from 2015's Innovation Awards back to exhibit.
A number of interactive demonstrations are held during Fieldays, such as the Kiwi's Best Kitchen where some of New Zealand's most well-known chefs demonstrate their expertise as they create their own distinct and exciting dishes. This year we welcome five chefs, including Chelsea Winter and Allyson Gofton – thanks to Hyundai.
After tempting your taste buds, head to the new Careers and Education Hub – a dedicated and interactive space for students, teachers and parents to explore career and education pathways in the agriculture industry.
"With so many opportunities for young adults to become a part of growing an innovative New Zealand, it is a great chance for them to speak to career champions from industry-leading education providers and agribusinesses," says Picken.
The creation of Entertainment on South Street means there's a dedicated place to take a break, feed the family and be entertained by Chelsea & The Ultimate Canines, DairyNZ's Rosie the Cow, Sam and his Farmyard Friends and alpaca demonstrations by Alpaca Association New Zealand.
Visitors will be able to catch many of the Rural Bachelor of the Year challenges at Entertainment on South Street and members of the Cambridge Brass Band will be making appearances on Friday and Saturday.
Signing up to a benchmarking tool is not about competition, but about improving collectively, says Ximena Puig and Alvaro Luzardo who are 50-50 sharemilkers at a 164-hectare (effective) dairy farm in Eketāhuna in the Lower North Island.
A leading British farming politician says he's impressed with the positive attitude of New Zealand farmers that he met during his recent trip here.
OPINION: With 10,500 dairy farms, New Zealand continues to punch above its weight around the world.
The Southern Dairy Hub (SDH), which runs a demonstration farm for South Island farmers, has a new general manager.
Esther Guy-Meakin has been announced as the new chief executive of the New Zealand Meat Board (NZMB).
According to a progress report on the Aotearoa Horticulture Action Plan (AHAP), New Zealand's horticulture sector is making real progress on the big issues facing growers.

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.…