Rural Directions

Pengxin bid heads for ‘legal morass’

Rural — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 05:42:16 +0000

Chinese company Shanghai Pengxin’s bid for the Crafar farms is headed for a legal morass as the Sir Michael Fay-led group of rival bidders yesterday launched yet another legal challenge. The Fay group has begun Court of Appeal action…

PGG Wrightson returns to profit

Rural — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 05:42:16 +0000

PGG Wrightson, the agricultural technology and services company controlled by Singapore-based Agria, returned to profit in the first half after increases in earnings from livestock, retail and its AgriTech units.Profit was $3.1…

Fay consortium challenges rival Crafar bidder’s know-how

Rural — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 05:28:57 +0000

The Sir Michael Fay-led consortium looking to wrest the Crafar dairy farms away from rival bidder Shanghai Pengxin have initiated Court of Appeal action challenging the Chinese company’s relevant experience and ability to operate…

Farmer will have to pay for milk sabotaged with penicillin

Rural — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 05:28:57 +0000

An Inangahua dairy farmer whose milk was sabotaged with penicillin earlier this month will still have to pay Westland Milk Products upwards of $7000 for a tanker load of tainted milk that had to be poured down the drain.Police are…

Handshake still carries the weight

Rural — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 04:57:03 +0000

Peter Walsh has worked in the livestock brokering business for over 40 years and he still firmly believes that the “handshake carries the weight”.

‘Cruisy few years’ anything but

Rural — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 04:57:03 +0000

Pork NZ chief executive Sam McIvor is moving on after six years in the top job. He talks to Alan Williams about the successes and challenges.

Penicillin deliberately dropped into milk tank

Rural — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 04:57:03 +0000

Police are investigating after penicillin was deliberately dropped into a tank of fresh milk on a West Coast dairy farm, contaminating the entire 3500 litre batch.The raw milk was valued at about $2000, but the cost to the Inangahua…

Iwi group move to occupy Crafar farm

Rural — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 04:57:03 +0000

A group from a south Waikato iwi is moving to occupy one of the Crafar farms, calling for the land to be returned to them.The farm at Benneydale, south of Te Kuiti, is one of those being considered for sale to a Chinese conglomerate.The…

MAF assures that NZ is safe from lamb virus

Rural — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 04:47:28 +0000

A new virus detected in Europe that causes deformities so severe in new born calves and lambs that they die within seconds is worrying farmers here.Federated Farmers fear the Schmallenberg virus could be potentially disastrous for…

Silver Fern boss walks from Beef & Lamb, NZ Meat Board

Rural — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 04:04:00 +0000

The boss of New Zealand’s biggest meat company has walked off the board key industry body Beef and Lamb New Zealand calling for a debate on farmer levies.Silver Fern Farms chief executive Keith Cooper has resigned today as a director…