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

Mr Robertson admitted farmers did take calves off their mothers, but said this was done in a humane way at an appropriate time.

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

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.

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.

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.

Reserve Bank has asked the country's five biggest rural lenders to conduct a "stress test" of their exposure to dairy farm debt, and had encouraged them to set aside provisions .

The pioneer of the world's first lab-grown burger expects cultured meat to eventually replace traditionally-farmed beef.

The area of Auckland land being farmed is 25 per cent less than just over a decade ago, likely because more is being used for housing.

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

New Zealand has about 720,000ha of land under irrigation, but about half that again could be sustainably irrigated by 2025, an industry body says.

Silver Fern Farms shareholders have voted strongly in favour of a 50/50 joint venture with China's Shanghai Maling Aquarius

Government is on the hunt for some big foreign firms to invest in local R & D over the next five years.

Food researchers have been granted $10.9 million under a new Government scheme designed to encourage scientific brilliance and boost exports.

Silver Fern Farms chairman Rob Hewett said the board remained convinced that a joint venture proposal from Shanghai Maling Aquarius was the best choice.

Local councillor says Chinese company's decision to pull out of a $42m farm purchase because of bureaucratic hurdles is a "slap in the face".

State owned farmer Landcorp says it supports an alternative recapitalisation plan for the giant meat company.

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.