Talk about opposite ends of the spectrum. One is a Kiwi, born and bred on a sheep and beef farm and has gone back to the farm after 20 years. The other is a Chinese woman who had never been near a farm before a New Zealand visit and thinks cows and calves are “so cute”.

Rabobank is to open a second branch in Northland, at Dargaville. It has had a branch at Whangarei for 10 years.

Summer has come and like clockwork so has the hot, dry, windy weather that is synonymous with droughts.

For the first time ever, New Zealand beef exports (October-December 2014) have exceeded lamb exports in value.

Is history set to repeat itself in Silver Fern Farms’ director elections?

Stock prices have tumbled and feed values are starting to climb as dry becomes drought in the east of the South Island.

Sheep and beef farmers on the North Island east coast are getting nervous about the lack of rain, according to Gisborne-based AgFirst consultant Peter Andrew.

Milk prices may have stabilised and will rebound next season, beef prices will hold and horticulture, particularly kiwifruit, could be the star performer this year.

The prospects for 2015 would be a lot better if there was some rain falling, says Federated Farmers president William Rolleston.

Dairy farmers should beef up balance sheets to cope with global milk price volatility, says the head of herd improvement company CRV.