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A new website has been set up to connect rural communities.
Ruralnetwork.co.nz is the initiative of Dow AgroSciences. Marketing manager Kirsty Sanders says the website provides a number of services including weather forecasts, a marketplace, tips and hints.
Sanders said farmers can log in and communicate with others in the rural sector who they may be geographically distanced from.
"New Zealand is still very much an agricultural country and farming is the backbone. I think often in the media, farmers' opinions are getting lost.
"We hope this will provide us with an area for farmers to get online and start to discuss issues that are pertinent to them and stimulate some lively debate."
- NEWSTALK ZB