Discussions held with Waikato Federated Farmers members have revealed significant concerns about the impact of the Waikato Regional Council's proposed 'Plan Change One'.

Farm comparison work will start soon to support scientifically the claim that a biologically active fertiliser system now used on 200 dairy farms reduces environmental impacts and raises profits.

No one immediate solution is available to New Zealand to deal with the problem of greenhouse gas emissions caused by agriculture.

Federated Farmers president for Rotorua/Taupo region, Alan Wills, says by and large dairy farmers are in good shape.

Climate change, pests and erosion -- rather than dairy --have been singled out by the parliamentary commissioner for the environment as the big issues facing the land in NZ.

Maui Milk has acquired a 770ha farm near Lake Taupo and is converting it to a sheep milking operation aimed at achieving $4 million farm income within two to three years.

Talk of a billion dollar sheep dairy industry is unhelpful, according Maui Milk chief executive Peter Gatley.

Auckland doesn't just have cafes, motorways and poorly performing rugby and league teams, the region also has the biggest rural area in New Zealand. 

A world expert on the sheep milking industry says UK farmers would be envious of the level of research being done in New Zealand into sheep milking.

Farmers are being urged to do their homework and look for hard data before buying grass seed, to ensure they make the correct choice.