Fonterra is pouring at least $1 billion into plant upgrades to improve efficiency and boost returns to farmer shareholders.

Workplace safety Minister Michael Woodhouse has described the old legislation on workplace safety as a “bugger’s muddle”. 

The payout to dairy farmers next season is unlikely to improve over the current season, says KPMG’s global head of agri, Ian Proudfoot.

A wave of environmental regulation is building nationwide, so be aware of what’s coming in your region and heed developments elsewhere, a Canterbury field day heard earlier this month.

Trade minister Tim Groser has a controversial message for dairy farmers – volatility is their friend. The industry has lived with it for 130 years, he says. 

The Reserve Bank says the outlook for global milk prices is highly uncertain and the financial stress on the dairy industry could rise markedly if prices remain at current low levels in the 2015-16 season.

Dairy prices are low and likely to stay that way a while longer, according to the latest ASB Farmshed Economics Report.

With the Waikato and Waipa rivers catchments due to face new targets and limits for water quality, farmers are being encouraged to be proactive over environment-related changes to their operations.

Federated Farmers North Canterbury say farmers affected by the drought are facing a tough year ahead and will be struggling with some tough decisions.

How do you protect dairy shed concrete floors from wear and chemical deterioration?