Feds president William Rolleston says the TPP Agreement appears to be beneficial for agriculture and New Zealand.

Fonterra and the Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand (DCANZ) heads are both disappointed in the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement on dairy but there are "useful gains".

A nationwide dairy farm survey is underway as part of a project to evaluate the effectiveness of current vaccination practices to prevent leptospirosis in dairy herds.

Farmers need to accurately determine fodder beet yields in order to maximise gains and minimise risk.

Early spring growth is an important factor for key animal production systems and farmers can make big differences with forage choices, according to Agricom's Allister Moorhead, product development specialist.

It's too early to write off China, says Hayden Dillon, head of corporate agribusiness for Crowe Horwath.

Businesses in rural areas are feeling the effects of a marked slowdown in the agricultural sector, according the latest MYOB Business Monitor.

Small Waikato milk processor Tatua's payout has again left other dairy co-ops trailing behind.

Since the SFF/Shanghai Maling deal was announced earlier last month some SFF shareholders, and other critics, have expressed concerns about the implications of foreign investment.

Most of the major banks are predicting a drop between 4% and 8% – much higher than Fonterra's current forecast of a 2-3% fall.