DairyNZ has affirmed its commitment to the Dairy Tomorrow initiative which outlines six broad goals for the sector.

There will be no major changes to the Dairy Industry Restructuring Act (DIRA), says Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor.

Erratic weather and seismic events, more frequent these days, are prompting many farmers to have standby generators on site.

Crop establishment, particularly various ways of doing it, was the focus of a recent field day near Taupo.

Ballance Agri Nutrients’ farm environment planning tool MitAgator last month won the Smart Farming Award at the South Island Agricultural Field Days at Kirwee.

Rural banker Rabobank is forecasting a milk price of $7.15/kgMS for the new season.

The dumping of capital gains tax initiatives is yet another issue going right for the farming community – and farmers should cheer up, says Federated Farmers economics spokesperson and national vice-president Andrew Hoggard.

Matamata farmer Matthew Zonderop says he’s never looked back since he started using a Tow and Fert unit about three years ago.

The Hound notes that former Meat Industry Excellence (MIE) member Mark Patterson is now trying to use the same anti-Chinese sentiment the failed group used to oppose the takeover by Yili of Westland Milk.

Scattered rain over the past few weeks has been enough to encourage new pasture growth, helping to raise morale amongst Waikato’s farmers.