A major dairy conversion, transforming 2500ha of forestry into five farms near Taupo, is on track to start milking on August 1.

Farmer confidence has moved further into negative territory, as shown by the Federated Farmers’ new-season July 2015 Farm Confidence Survey.

The latest Dairy Australia National Dairy Farmer Survey (NDFS) shows farmers in many regions investing, or planning to invest, in their businesses, because of robust business confidence. 

Spend on the right things and control your costs: that’s DairyNZ’s message to farmers struggling to make ends meet as global dairy prices keep tumbling.

Farm like dad or the uncles used to farm during a low payout year, advises Chris Kelly, former Landcorp chief executive for 12 years.

Central Hawkes Bay has good potential for dairy with irrigation, says Duncan MacLeod, commercial manager, Hawkes Bay Regional Investment Company.

The Green Party is citing a lack of farmer support as a reason to pull the on the Ruataniwha dam proposal. 

The certainty water brings to business and the potential for growth are two key benefits the proposed $275 million Ruataniwha water storage scheme will bring to the drylands of Central Hawkes Bay say farming proponents.

The new chairman of Fonterra Shareholders Council, Duncan Coull, says the cooperative spirit will help farmers through the downturn.

Chinese-owned independent processor Oceania Dairy will be exporting infant formula from its Glenavy plant in South Canterbury by the end of this year.