Rural Directions

Dairy prices drop to new 3-year low in overnight auction

Rural — Wed, 16 May 2012 05:10:52 +0000

Prices of dairy products fell for the third straight sale in Fonterra’s overnight auction, reaching a new three-year low as China's slowdown and euro-zone uncertainty weighed on commodities.

Milk waste leaves big carbon footprint

Rural — Tue, 15 May 2012 04:59:01 +0000

Waste milk creates a carbon footprint equivalent to thousands of car exhausts, claims a study that highlights the environmental costs of inefficient farming and the aggressive marketing of supermarket food.British scientists have…

Canterbury creams dairying honours

Rural — Mon, 14 May 2012 04:43:40 +0000

Quake-affected Canterbury became the first region to scoop all three top awards at the annual Dairy Industry Awards on Saturday night.Enda and Sarah Hawe won the Sharemilker/Equity Farmer of the Year, Mick O’Connor was top farm…

High country rent relief

Rural — Mon, 14 May 2012 04:43:39 +0000

It has been a seven year challenge but high country farmers finally have certainty around how their pastoral rents will be fairly calculated.

Sam Judd: Those thirsty cows

Rural — Fri, 11 May 2012 04:09:49 +0000

In Auckland, where I live, we pay for our showers by the litre.In 2007 New Zealand had the second highest water abstraction per person out of 26 OECD countries. This means that each Kiwi displaces more water than anyone else in…

Dairy herds boom, sheep numbers keep falling

Rural — Fri, 11 May 2012 04:09:49 +0000

Around 250,000 more dairy cattle are grazing New Zealand paddocks than in mid-2010, but sheep numbers have dropped by over a million, figures show. Partly driven by higher milk solid payouts, the country now has more than six million…

Liam Dann: Commitment needed to give us a sporting chance

Rural — Wed, 09 May 2012 03:45:08 +0000

Incoming NZX chief executive Tim Bennett has talked about New Zealand’s capital markets needing to inspire the kind of national pride that the All Blacks do. Imagine that. Based on current public attitudes it seems hopelessly optimistic.But…

NZX ‘could do better’ on communication

Rural — Wed, 09 May 2012 03:45:08 +0000

Market participants say the NZX has done very well as a business but it could be doing a lot more to improve its relationships and communication with listed companies and investors.NZ Shareholders Association chairman John Hawkins…

Merino advocate surprised by honour

Rural — Tue, 08 May 2012 03:32:36 +0000

Bob Todhunter is a man of the high country, a farmer passionate about the genetics of the Merino stud his family founded and continues to run in Mid Canterbury.

Merino advocate surprised by honour

Rural — Tue, 08 May 2012 03:32:36 +0000

Bob Todhunter is a man of the high country, a farmer passionate about the genetics of the Merino stud his family founded and continues to run in Mid Canterbury.