Leading international credit rating agency has downgraded its outlook for New Zealand's economy.

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

The region's current drought began on February 12 last year, and it has now been extended three times.

It has caused havoc everywhere else but Kiwi farmers may get a lucky break.

The utterings of our leaders demonstrate how global warming has moved from a scientific theory where integrity matters, to a political movement where it doesn't, writes Robin Grieve.

Wool prices rose at the first auction following the Christmas and New Year holiday period, helped by the lower New Zealand dollar.

Ranchers and dairy farmers in the US have gone online in their search for thousands of missing cattle after a two-day blizzard buried herds.

El Nino is technically past its peak, but the true impact of the weather pattern looks likely to play out over the next few months.

As cranberry season reaches its zenith over the Christmas holiday, farmers are increasingly selling family-owned cranberry bogs to larger operators.

Nearly 200 countries strike deal on how to combat climate change, but it's what the energy companies do next that could make or break the agreement.

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.

Grabbing a bottle of milk from the supermarket was once a simple task.

Zespri's forecast per tray returns to growers have moderated after a strong 2014/15 season, but stayed steady on a per hectare basis.

Fonterra has maintained milk price at $4.60 per kilo, but scrapped a farmer support scheme.

Pressure is mounting on Fonterra to cut its farmgate milk price forecast at this week's board meeting, but it's looking like a close call.

Animal welfare group SAFE placed a graphic advertisement to shame NZ's dairy industry in the Guardian newspaper.

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

The origin of some of our most nutritious food does not bear thinking about. Milk, eggs, even some fruit, are nutrients intended for the young of other species.

MPI says an investigation into the alleged mistreatment of bobby calves had begun before news broke.

Investigator whose shocking video exposes cruelty in New Zealand's dairy industry says he was tipped off by concerned farmers.

Fonterra, Federated Farmers, the Ministry for Primary Industries and the Government need to take urgent action to stop cruelty in the dairy industry, writes Catriona MacLennan.

Video exposes cruelty in New Zealand's dairy industry.

International dairy prices are at a "particularly bad" part of the cycle, but are expected to improve substantially in the first half of next year.

There are few films more environmentally infused than the highest grossing one in history, Avatar - in which a highly militarised mining company seeks to exploit the resources of the rich forest....

NZ sheep and beef farmers got higher prices in the September quarter, outpacing the rise in the prices they paid.

The August-September price bubble has popped, according to a dairy broker.

In 2014/15, dairy companies processed 21.3 billion litres of milk containing 1.89 billion kilograms of milksolids.

There's some good news from the dairy sector today, with Fonterra saying its financial performance is improving.

Consumer and food service came in at $408 million, up 216 per cent on the previous year's.