The blocking of a sale of Lochinver Farm will be welcomed by those with a narrow, not to say xenophobic, view of the national interest.

Does this morning's big jump in world dairy prices mean an increased payout for farmers? There might be a long way to go.

Prices are expected to rise at this week's GlobalDairyTrade auction but doubts remain as to how much further improvement is in store.

Fonterra is cutting back the amount of product it sells on its GlobalDairyTrade auction platform for the next 12 months.

Pre-tax profits for an average sheep and beef farm in New Zealand will increase to $109,900 this season - 9.6 per cent more than last season, but 3.1 per cent below the five-year average, Beef and Lamb New Zealand says in its 2016/6 season outlook.

Deal would increase dominance of New Zealand's biggest meat exporter but erode farmer control of the industry.

Low world dairy prices aren't stopping the NZ industry - production was up 13pc last month from July last year.

Banks appear to have come to the party for NZ farmers needing support during the dairy downturn.

Beef + Lamb New Zealand undertakes a referendum by asking farmers if they want the organisation to continue.

State-owned farmer Landcorp said its profit fell by 84 per cent due mostly due to lower milk and lamb prices.

A new online exchange aims to help investors who own shares in private companies or units in property, farm or forestry syndicates to trade them more easily.

Investment bank says there is a 25 to 30 per cent risk of New Zealand's economy going into recession in the next 12 months.

DairyNZ chairman John Luxton says it some TPP players are seeking to maintain trade protection rather than reduce it.

Farmers were given cause for cautious optimism after global dairy auction prices rallied by almost 15 per cent, ending a 10-sale losing streak.

Wholemilk powder prices rallied by 19.1 per cent at this morning's GlobalDairyTrade auction.

I like to see the glass half full, and I have the facts to back that view. If you still want to see the glass half empty - you're the loser, writes Mike Hosking.

Finance Minister Bill English won't rule out state farming company Landcorp having to sell more farms than usual to ensure it is not too loaded with debt.

"There's nothing more depressing than knowing when those big tankers come on to your farm you are paying Fonterra to take your milk away."

Finance Minister Bill English remains confident about the prospects for economic growth, despite recent dairy woes.

Fonterra says it is significantly reducing the amount of product it puts up for sale on the GlobalDairyTrade auction platform over the next 12 months.

British farmers held an emergency summit this week, amid warnings that many are facing financial ruin because of plunging milk and meat prices.

Milk powder prices will need to improve substantially before Fonterra's revised farmgate milk price of $3.85 per kg of milk solids can become a reality, say analysts.

$4.55 swing in forecast milk price paid to farmers over two seasons shows there's something wrong with NZ's dairy model, says Landcorp Farming CEO Steve Carden.

The country's biggest exporter has lowered its price from a previous forecast of $5.25 following sharp falls in whole milk powder prices.

Paparimu dairy farmer Craig Maxwell says farmers are worried about the survival of their farms.

A drop in the price of milk on supermarket shelves could be in store for New Zealanders - but not anytime soon, says supermarket chain Countdown.

Fonterra is expected to announce a sharp reduction in its farmgate milk price today.

Dairy farm prices are likely to fall this spring as the sector faces the prospect of two successive years of sub-par payouts, says the ANZ Bank

DairyNZ says New Zealand milk production is expected to fall by 2 or 3 per cent this season as farmers focus on improving the efficiency of their farming systems.