AS FONTERRA last month announced a 33% surge in half-year net profit, its share price had another story to tell.

MORE THAN a few farmers would have coughed up their morning coffee on March 13 when they looked at the front page of the New Zealand Herald.  There was a photo of a cow looking up at a rifle muzzle and about to get a bullet. 

FARMERS HAVE to lead the environment debate, says Bruce Wills, national president of Federated Farmers. He cautioned in December that many farmers need a mindshift from the past when government incentives encouraged clearing land and dumping on it lots of fertiliser and large numbers of animals.  

A SHEEP breed which promises to add-value to both meat and wool was launched at last month’s South Island Agricultural Field Days.

BOVINE TUBERCULOSIS (TB) is these days most likely to enter your herd on the back of a truck, warns a retiring TBfree NZ stalwart with a lifetime’s experience of managing the disease control effort.

Federated Farmers adverse effects spokeswoman Katie Milne says she is amazed that Westpac economists believe the drought may have no effect on the economy because of rising dairy prices.

Singaporean Simon Israel is a new director at Fonterra, following the retirement of Ralph Waters.

SOUTH AUCKLAND dairy farmer Murray Shaw is used to hosting VIPs on his 500-cow farm. In 2005 he hosted then Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf.

UMBRELLAS AND wet weather gear were in order for farmers attending the organic dairying conference at Woodville last week.

OFF-PEAK MILK production doesn’t necessarily mean intensive feeding, says a new study from Dairy Australia.