Editorial: Wool's Back in the Black
OPINION: Confidence in the wool sector is rebounding as prices hit levels not seen in more than 15 years.
An iconic agricultural figure – shearer David Fagan – is now Sir David.
Fagan's knighthood was announced in the recent new year honours list and recognises his 30 years at the forefront of competitive shearing sports until his retirement last year.
Fagan won 642 open championships, was an individual world champion five times and a world team champion seven times. He was the first shearer to exceed 800 lambs and 700 ewes in a nine hour working day under world record rules. He has represented New Zealand at least 120 times in various teams.
He was recently appointed chairman of Shearing Sports New Zealand and been on the committee of the New Zealand Shearing Championships since 1985.
Fagan has played a huge role in the promotion of his home town of Te Kuiti as the shearing capital of the world.
Others in the ag sector to recognised in the honours list were farmer John Lee who receives the CNZM for developing a number of tourism businesses in the Cadrona Valley.
The ONZM has been awarded to David Civil for developing dairy by-products as a fertiliser. Dr Andrew McEwen received the same honour for his services to forestry and Professor Norman Williamson also received the ONZM for services to the veterinary profession.
MNZM's were awarded to Jonathon Kirk for devising the K-Line spray irrigation system and Linda Nelson for services to agriculture and women.
Tayla Steele is in her fourth year of a Bachelor of Veterinary Science at Massey University in Palmerston North.
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) says no new cases of H5 bird flu have been detected following a case found earlier this week.
Two months after unveiling a major upgrade to its beef product, Halter says its farmers are on track for major production gains and additional grass growth.
New Zealanders are being urged to be alert following a confirmed positive case of H5 bird flu this week.
With a third of NZ dairy farmers still running outdated refrigerants, the country's largest farm refrigeration company says the opportunity for quick, meaningful emissions gains has never been clearer.
OPINION: Farmers are being put on notice by the Green Party.

OPINION: Central Hawke's Bay farmer Mark Warren recently told the Hawke's Bay Times it's time for a conversation about allowing…
OPINION: A nation that relies as heavily as NZ does on functional global shipping lanes will have to do its…