Leading a discussion after the Groves and Lincoln presentations, DairyNZ consulting officer Caleb Strowger asked what is being retained, reduced, deferred or removed from budgets this season.

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 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.

Goats can be like pets and easier to handle than dairy cattle, says Oete Farms director Matt Bolton.

Holding on to stock longer after a drought in the hope they would reach higher weights contributed to a Taupo farmer becoming the first sheep and beef farmer warned by the Waikato Regional Council for breaching nitrogen caps.

After 15 days and six hours at sea, the MV Nada berthed in Manzanillo – located on the Pacific Ocean and one of the busiest ports in Mexico – in late June and 45,110 breeding ewes and 3224 cattle sourced from New Zealand were unloaded and quarantined on ‘quality’ Mexican pastures.

The sheep industry is in rapid decline and can’t afford to make any more wrong decisions, says Silver Fern Farms shareholder Allan Richardson.

Introductions of new technology in agriculture seem to be happening on a daily basis, and innovation in the dairy technology sector will reduce labour for the boring stuff and allow more time for better animal husbandry.

Pakarata sits on the western flanks of the Kaimai-Mamaku Ranges, at 335m altitude, overlooking Okororie in Waikato.