Two participants of the Agri-Women's Development Trust's (AWDT) new pilot programme say they have come away feeling empowered and confident in the running of their dairy farming businesses.

King Country farmer Andrea Hanna has been appointed National Judging Co-ordinator for the Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA).

Lincoln University hosted senior management from both Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group and its subsidiary Oceania Dairy last week.

An easterly airflow promised brief respite from the central South Island’s dry late last week but a drought-breaking weather system is desperately needed, farmers’ leaders and industry representatives say.

Early arrival of the dry period in the lower North Island has ‘subdued’ sales of store lambs in the past week or so.

MPI’s David Wansbrough says a lot of people look for the headline ‘drought declaration’, but they should understand what this means in practical terms. 

Dairy farmers are still wary despite three successive lifts in global dairy auction prices.

The future of farming described in a recent agricultural scenario is not far distant, says Nick Clark, Federated Farmers manager of general policy and chief economist.

A dairy farmer ‘dragging the chain’ on effluent management has let the team down, says Federated Farmers Dairy chairman Andrew Hoggard, commenting on a recidivist polluter who has copped a record fine for environment non-compliance in Taranaki.

Australian farmers have joined health groups in opposing suggestions to apply GST to the sale of fresh food.