AUSTRALIAN BEEF farmers are pushing the Gillard Government to restart free trade agreement talks with South Korea. Industry leaders visited Seoul this month seeking to resume talks with the South Koreans.

THE THREAT of climate change to global agriculture will be the focus of an international conference in the United States this month.

THE 2013 year started with reasonable optimism. Dairy production was tracking nicely and dairy prices took off. For sheep there was hope that new Asian demand for lamb and wool would bring a move in the right direction. Meanwhile, the US drought last year meant demand for our beef, grains and produce were looking healthy. 

DROUGHT BEHAVIOUR renders deeply questionable the concept of co-operative companies being for the benefit and fair treatment of shareholders.

EVER HEARD people talk about their “BHAG”?

ANOTHER WEEK, another suite of big nights for North Island dairy farmers as the annual awards season gets into full swing.

A HILL farm in the west, and a 5000ha station in the east are the latest winners in the annual round of regional Ballance Farm Environment Awards.

Tauranga dairy farmers Dennis, Judith and Gordon McFetridge were Supreme Winners of the 2013 Bay of Plenty Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA), the first of this year’s round of regional awards announced. A field day will be held on their farm March 26.

A POTTINGER front-and-rear mower combination has halved mower tractor time for a Northland dairy farmer.

Walton farmers Grant Wills and Karen Preston have scooped a string of awards in the 2013 Waikato Ballance Farm Environment Awards, including the highly coveted Supreme title.