Latest from Farming

Wasp swarm attacks farmer

A 'really, really sore' Waikato farmer had to walk 45 minutes for help after she was stung at least 50 times in the head when she stepped in a 'big hole of wasps'.

Liam Dann: Why I forgive Fonterra

Dairy pervades the economy and the cultural landscape - our obsession with flat whites, free milk in schools and even our political scandals, as witnessed last week.

Waikato struggles with dry conditions

Parts of the Waikato are as dry or drier than during last year's severe drought.

Racing: Preparing a winner beats milking cows

John Morell is one of a rapidly dying breed - rural owners who train their own racehorse from a farm.

Pigging out proves profitable

How do you stop truckloads of unsaleable food from going to the dump - and turn it into something useful? Put a few thousand piggies in the middle.

Landcorp earnings soar on rising dairy income

Federated Farmers CEO moving on

Federated Farmers chief executive Conor English said he would not rule out a career in politics when he steps down as chief executive of the farmers' group in July.

Sue Kedgley: Keep our cows out of factory farms

My heart sank when I heard about Fonterra's idea to reduce the dairy industry's impact on our environment, writes Sue Kedgley.

Dairying boon to economy

Economists say a combination of rising international dairy prices and favourable farming conditions bode well for New Zealand's economic growth.

'Her indoors' moves outdoors on the farm

Many city-dwellers may still peg rural women as domestic types, but modern farming women are on the land or in the office, running big businesses and driving the exports that are the backbone of NZ's economy.

Aussies to follow Fonterra model

Australia's largest dairy cooperative Murray Goulburn (MG) looks set to follow Fonterra in adopting a specialised financial instrument to expand its capital base while retaining exclusive farmer ownership and control.

Man who broke cows' tails heading to jail

Spierings admits sustainability failings

Fonterra chief executive Theo Spierings says the company is "eight to 10 years" behind other dairy players overseas when it comes to sustainability.

Sam Judd: Wasted on water

Every day, millions of tons of inadequately treated sewage, industrial and agricultural waste enters the world's waterways, writes Sam Judd.

Man admits breaking tails of over 150 cows

A Mid Canterbury herd manager who admitted breaking the tails of at least 154 cows has been sentenced to eight months' home detention and will have to apply to own animals in the future.

Sam Judd: Our nutrient world

Sam Judd writes that perhaps the biggest environmental problem we currently face is the contamination of our waterways by nutrients.

Weather a boost for beef farmers

A mild winter and a favourable spring have boosted confidence in the New Zealand beef industry after last summer's challenging drought, says Rabobank.

MPI approves incursion programme after spillage

Ministry for Primary Industries officials have approved an incursion programme in mid-Canterbury following a spillage of one of Europe's most invasive arable weeds - black grass - found in a consignment of imported fescue seed.