COMMENT: Fonterra has made the right call by accelerating dividend payments instead of extending its dairy farmer shareholders loan package, writes Fran O'Sullivan.

Dairy farm values are tumbling, according to data from the Real Estate Institute of NZ.

However, even the Reserve Bank's best case scenario sees farm prices fall by 20pc, while the worst case scenario would see a fall in land prices of 40pc.

Prices for weaned calves are hitting record highs amid increased demand and lower supply.

Bank analyst has confidence in the sector's ability to adapt but says that some of those ill-prepared for the downturn will go to the wall.

Fonterra said a member of its management team, Maury Leyland, has resigned for personal reasons, effective from March 31.

Landcorp said it expects its profit loss to widen for the full year, reflecting a decline in milk prices.

Founded in 2000 by a Kiwi scientist and a multimillionaire farm owner, a2 Milk's market value has more than tripled to NZ$1.2 billion over the past year.

Dairy farmers are bracing themselves for still more falls in product prices at tomorrow's Global Dairy Trade auction.

Banks say more heavily indebted New Zealand dairy farmers will be asked to sell up as non-performing loans increase.

Rain since the New Year has reduced the drought risk associated with the current El Nino weather pattern, ANZ Bank said.

Greenheart Group has signed a conditional deal to buy Northland Forest Managers (1995) for $1.5 million.

Alliance Group plans to entrench its cooperative status, encouraging farmers to 'share up' at a time rival Silver Fern Farms is watering down cooperative.

Wholemilk is down 4.4 per cent at first GDT auction of the year despite volume reductions, and outlook is weak.

Dairy farmers are the most optimistic group in New Zealand's agricultural sector for the coming year, according to a Federated Farmers poll.

Z Energy says committing to using biofuel is one way people can contribute to the global effort to reduce climate change outlined in the Paris Agreement.

Several readers have contacted the Herald expressing their fears after eating the potentially contaminated ham.

Fruzio frozen berry brand is likely to be linked to a newly notified case of Hepatitis A.

The company involved in a Hepatitis A scare has announced it is recalling all of its frozen berry products.

Consumers who bought bags of frozen berries linked to a health scare will be able to get a refund from major supermarkets.

What you should do if you have recently eaten Fruzio Mixed Berries.

China is taking steps to genetically engineer its own food supply rather than growing it the boring old traditional way.

A company has been fined for not providing employment agreements and failing to produce wage and time records for employees.

WATCH: Waikato farmer's impassioned defence of his fellow farmers following an expose on the "dark side of the farming industry".

Zespri and the Shaanxi Provincial Government signed a memorandum which may lead to the Tauranga-based kiwifruit marketer growing fruit in China.

Farming is largely a long term intergenerational business. But what could that future look like?

It's understood that the biggest losses would be in the study areas of greenhouse gases and field work.

Retired professor Dick Wilkins asks, why has AgResearch put such a huge effort into transgenic work, with so little return over 15 years, given the ongoing dire straits of the company?