As farmers prepare to cast their vote on Silver Fern Farms' proposed joint venture with China's Shanghai Maling Aquarius on Friday, the prospect has helped explode the myth that co-operatives are in....

Michael James Whitelock, 28, shot one cow in the leg, dumped another cow still alive in an offal pit, and broke the tails of hundreds of others.

A group of Silver Fern Farms shareholders who oppose the company's proposed joint venture with Shanghai Maling Aquarius say their offer of a $90 million alternative capital raising proposal remains a live issue just days before the deal goes to the vote.

South Island-based Ngai Tahu made $109.3 million net annual profit, down $36.1 million on last year because of lower earthquake damage insurance payouts.

Proposed road name for the new road is Cash Cow Rd to be associated with the current owner Cash Cow Limited.

The Notice of Meeting and Independent Report for the acquisition of 50 per cent of Silver Fern Farms by Shanghai Maling are revealing.

Donald McKenzie Harcourt appeared for sentence in Greymouth District Court on animal welfare charges, dating back to 2012, relating to his Crooked River farm.

Fonterra executives will have their work cut out convincing farmers to reduce their use of what has been a key feed supplement over the past 10 years - palm kernel.

Waikato dairy co-op Tatua says earnings before tax fell by 11.1pc to $121.2m, reflecting falling commodities prices.

Steven Joyce doesn't want the Lochinver decision to cast a shadow over our relationship with China.

Chinese billlionaire's company brings in the lawyers over New Zealand's decision to veto an $88 million bid to buy Lochinver station.

Maling's proposal to acquire 50% of Silver Fern Farms reaffirms that Chinese investors are interested in New Zealand's rural and food-based assets.

A business connection made over lunch has dished up an opportunity for Southland beef and lamb in the Chinese city of Xi'an.

Fonterra is reporting a big turnaround in annual profit and a much improved forecast cash payout for the current year.

Summer's El Nino weather pattern may be good news for barbecues and backyard cricket, but farmers and firefighters are preparing to battle drought and wildfires.

Canterbury dairy company Synlait Milk has almost halved its net profit for the July year to $10.6 million.

Silver Fern Farms embarked on a roadshow to sell farmers on bringing in China's Shanghai Maling Aquarius as a shareholder in its newly formed venture.

Low dairy prices have continued to weigh heavily on farmer sentiment, according to Rabobank's Rural Confidence Survey.

Federated Farmers said it welcomed the Government's decision to decline the sale of Lochinver Station, near Taupo, to China's Shanghai Pengxin Group.

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.

Shanghai Maling Aquarius is understood to have a $300 million war chest to back its bid for a slice of the Kiwi meat co-operative.

British farmers are bleating after a supermarket was accused of trying to pass off Kiwi lamb as Scottish.

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.

McIvor family owns the last remaining farm on Auckland International Airport's main road approach. And they have no intention of selling.

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.

Fonterra's move to cut the amount it sells on its global dairy auction appears to have worked.