Major shakeup for the NZ science system
The government has announced a major restructuring of the country's seven crown research institutes (CRIs), which will see them merged into three public research organisations (PROs).
Metservice meteorologist James Millward says in 2024 we're unlikely to see the wild weather of last year.
Metservice meteorologist James Millward says the country’s weather patterns are now on a much more even footing.
He says that will give farmers more certainty as to where they are and where they are going.
Millward told Rural News that up until now, the weather has been going through something of a transitional period and the full effect of the El Nino weather pattern is likely to kick in during the coming weeks.
He says this will bring some higher pressures across the North Island, resulting in prolonged dry summer weather.
Millwards adds, the good news for farmers is that conditions will be more typical, unlike last year’s weird, wet weather.
He says, at present, the North Island is drying out and in terms of soil moisture the country is not far away from where it would normally be.
He says the exception is southern Wairarapa, which is particularly dry. But he adds that the expected early dry has not eventuated, with rain falling in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay and the possibility of further rains depending on what might happen with weather systems in the tropics.
For more than 50 years, Waireka Research Station at New Plymouth has been a hub for globally important trials of fungicides, insecticides and herbicides, carried out on 16ha of orderly flat plots hedged for protection against the strong winds that sweep in from New Zealand’s west coast.
There's a special sort of energy at the East Coast Farming Expo, especially when it comes to youth.
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The avocado industry is facing an extremely challenging season with all parts of the supply chain, especially growers, being warned to prepare for any eventuality.
Rural recycling scheme Agrecovery is welcoming the Government's approval of regulations for a nationwide rural recycling scheme for agrichemicals and farm plastics.
Despite a late and unfavourable start, this year’s strawberry crop is expected to be bountiful for producer and consumer alike.