Big buys at annual agricultural event are likely to be lower on the shopping list for some who are hurting, especially dairy farmers.

Tougher rules around the treatment of bobby calves will start before the spring calving season, but other measures on food and shelter will be delayed until next year.

Very low dairy prices have so far not translated into widespread forced sales of farms, but the coming spring and summer periods will be the acid test for many.

Alarm after tuberculosis-positive cow discovered at his farm.

Heartland Bank has told investors it is monitoring the dairy sector "with close attention".

Former president of Wanganui Federated Farmers says dairy farming is responsible for 80 per cent of the degradation of New Zealand waterways.

Hopes are running high that the first GlobalDairyTrade (GDT) auction for 2016/17 will show an improvement in dairy prices.

Farmers overall remain satisfied with their banks, according to a Federated Farmers survey.

The milk price of $4.25 per kg remains well below DairyNZ's $5.25 per kg estimate of breakeven.

It's not only NZ dairy farmers unhappy about farm gate prices.

Dairy prices ended the 2015/6 season on a firm note with the GlobalDairyTrade price index rising by 2.6 per cent at this morning's auction.

Fonterra's farmer shareholders will vote next month on whether to accept governance changes to trim the board.

Fonterra says part of forecast final dividend will be moved up to ease low-price pain.

Mystery has enveloped the ginseng industry-the biggest customer for a small Canadian county has disappeared.

Workers weren't allowed time off, including a pregnant woman who was told she'd be laid off if she took maternity leave.

The trend towards organic produce means the US is now importing animal feed from Romania.

NZX's planned new milk price futures contract can help bring stability to a dairy sector being hit by low returns, says visiting specialist Brian Rice.

COMMENT: Sustainable farming is about doing business while doing good. It is about ensuring decent income and benefits while preserving our environment.

The Institute of Directors has made a case for adding independent directors to the boards of farming company operations.

"Pleasant surprise" at global dairy auction.

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy gave a group of Waikato farmers a pep talk yesterday.

Fonterra could let farmer shareholders sell shares based on annual milk production to reduce debt, analysts say.

Fitch Ratings said growth in European milk production will further delay a recovery in global milk prices beyond 2016.

Synlait expects premium payments to its farmer suppliers to double, mainly on the back of a boom in infant formula sales.

Farmers can't be left to shoulder all the blame and all the loss in these times of crisis for the dairy industry, writes Damien O'Connor. It's time for the banks to front up.

COMMENT: McGrathNicol business partners Andrew Grenfell and Conor McElhinneyrs talk about the flow-on effects of low dairy prices.

The Ministry for Primary Industries says it will take action against baby formula marketer Fernbaby if the company continues to make "therapeutic claims" about its products.

What's going on in dairy is fully explainable and virtually none of it is anyone's fault in this country. We've been here before with dairy and without a doubt we will be here again.