Don’t expect farmers to spend money on riparian planting and fencing if their businesses are running in deficit, says Waikato Federated Farmers president Keith Holmes.

Rural Communities Minister Mark Patterson, who farms at Lawrence in Otago, has personally been actively involved in assessing the situation in his region.

Multiple agencies are working to help farmers in Otago hit by the recent floods and Southland farmers who have faced many months of adverse weather.

Farm sales are on the rise. According to recent data from the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ), there was an 18.9% increase in farm sales for the three months ending August 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.

Waikato farmer Jim van der Poel’s foray into dairy industry governance began 25 years ago with a bang.

Banks and rural businesses are chipping in to help farmers in Southland and Otago.

Southland farmers have been assured that, while concerning, there are no immediate implications from a court decision which requires them to apply for a resource consent just to continue farming.

Falling interest rates, combined with a rising forecast milk price, mean this season’s looking a lot better than the previous one, says Federated Farmers dairy section chair Richard McIntyre.

Matt Bolger, the Pro Vice-Chancellor of The University of Waikato Management School, is joining Fonterra’s management team from March next year.

Rabobank New Zealand will reduce the variable base rate on its rural loans by 0.5%, effective from 16 October 2024.