Rural and farming news
Cyclone-damaged road repairs hitting ‘top gear’
Council contractors have completed 60 repairs so far with another 200 expected in 2025
Dairy farming
Share Farmers of the Year revealed at Bay of Plenty awards
Winning couple are in a 20% equity partnership, managing two properties with 760 cows.
Far North’s Mahoe Cheese tastes more success
Bay of Islands cheesemaker gets gold, silver and bronze medals at national awards.
Synlait returns to profit, beats forecast
Synlait has beaten its first-half earnings forecast after going into the red last year.
The Country Radio Show
The Country: Horticulture update with Kate Scott
Kate Scott, Sir David Fagan, Sam Owen, Chris Brandolino, Rachel Shearer, and Barry Soper.
Chris Hipkins at Kirwee on The Country
Katie Milne, Chris Hipkins, Myfanwy Alexander, Andrew Hoggard, and Chris Russell.
The Country: Christopher Luxon on Winston Peters
Christopher Luxon, Graham Mourie, Steve Wyn-Harris, and Stephen Crossan.
Premium
What Trump’s tariff turmoil means for NZ’s economic recovery
OPINION: Good, bad or ugly, here's hoping US tariff announcement brings some certainty.
The small North Island town that could be surrounded by three solar farms
About 200,000 solar panels planned for the largest of the three.
The farmer ending the awkwardness of borrowing from bank of mum and dad
Lending to friends and family can be fraught business. Tom Aitken's created the solution.
‘End of an era’: Aching bones of landmark highway house further crippled by fire
The historic house on State Highway 2, abandoned since the late 1960s, damaged in fire.
Synlait back in black, but still a work in progress
Synlait is back in the black after last year's big loss, but challenges remain.
S&P says Fonterra’s balance sheet can handle Mainland sale
Fonterra's balance sheet will offset the impact of its planned sale Mainland, S&P says.
Horticulture
Sheep and beef
Reasons to be positive about red meat's future
OPINION: Is there a food equivalent of the Lord of the Rings?
Heavy weather ahead, the four storms facing red meat
OPINION: It's a tough business farming cattle.
Can red meat recover its glorious past?
OPINION: New Zealand could tap into a hungry market – after all, the world loves meat.
Technology
Reasons to be positive about red meat's future
OPINION: Is there a food equivalent of the Lord of the Rings?
Heavy weather ahead, the four storms facing red meat
OPINION: It's a tough business farming cattle.