Top wool advocate bales out
The conversion of productive farmland into trees has pretty much annihilated the wool industry.
The limited offering of 4200 bales from the South Island on offer this week saw a 58% clearance and a generally firmer market, New Zealand Wool Services International Ltd's general manager, John Dawson reports.
The weighted indicator for the main trading currencies increased by 0.42%.
Dawson advises a small selection of Mid Micron wools followed other market trends and eased between 4 to 6%.
Fine crossbred fleece and shears were firm to sellers favour.
Coarse crossbred fleece were firm to 1.5% dearer. Coarse early shorn were firm with longer shears firm to 1.5% stronger and shorter shears firm to 3% dearer.
First lambs and long crossbred oddments remained firm with short oddments generally in buyers' favour.
There was limited activity with many growers reluctant to sell at current levels. Main competition came from China, India and Western Europe, supported by Middle East and Australasia.
The next sale on August 16 comprises about 7500 bales from the North Island and 6300 bales from the South Island.
The National Wild Goat Hunting Competition has removed 33,418 wild goats over the past three years.
New Zealand needs a new healthcare model to address rising rates of obesity in rural communities, with the current system leaving many patients unable to access effective treatment or long-term support, warn GPs.
Southland farmers are being urged to put safety first, following a spike in tip offs about risky handling of wind-damaged trees
Third-generation Ashburton dairy farmers TJ and Mark Stewart are no strangers to adapting and evolving.
When American retail giant Cosco came to audit Open Country Dairy’s new butter plant at the Waharoa site and give the green light to supply their American stores, they allowed themselves a week for the exercise.
Fonterra chair Peter McBride says the divestment of Mainland Group is their last significant asset sale and signals the end of structural changes.

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