There will be a bit of sibling rivalry at the Mystery Creek Events Centre this Saturday.

AN ATTEMPT to connect consumers of our lamb in Germany has seen two New Zealand farmers, one of whom is Ashley Cole, establish blogs on Beef &Lamb NZ's (BLNZ) German website.

Simon Walker was keen to ride the milk wave, but he wasn't willing to convert his sheep and beef farm at Mokomoko near the town of Pahiatua in the Tararua District.

PRIME ARABLE farming land is shrinking under pressure from urban sprawl and ETS, says Federated Farmers president Bruce Wills. Farmers are increasing yields by better methods but the overall area dedicated to grains, sheep and beef farming continues to shrink.

THE NEW Zealand dollar's strength is throwing a dampener on heady days for beef.

THE BEEF industry is hoping to make new inroads into the tricky but potentially huge halal market this year including regaining some of its former $31 million trade to Malaysia.

US CATTLE producers are risking a lucrative export industry by dragging their heels on cattle identification (ID) and traceability systems compared with other beef exporting countries and beef importers.

HISTORICALLY, THE commodities New Zealand exports tend to come under pressure during periods of global duress and uncertainty. Based on this, you'd currently expect New Zealand's key commodity exports to be falling in price. Certainly, the past few months have seen commodity prices ease, but from extraordinary highs, and not as much as other markets.

FARMER CONFIDENCE has waned slightly in the past quarter.

Lincoln University appears to be running the gauntlet of a green-lobby backlash by awarding an international alumni medal to a palm oil company chief executive.