Maori-controlled, with a Vietnamese connection, one of the country's newest dairy companies does things a little bit differently from the big boys, discovers Jamie Gray.

A climate expert believes summers like this one will become the new norm for New Zealand. Droughts have already been declared across much of the North Island.

The drought is working its way down the country, and with with no change predicted until at least mid-March, farmers from Northland to Southland are suffering.

Big dry forces stock selloffs, but Aucklanders can still water gardens, wash cars thanks to Waikato River supplies

A drought is expected to be declared in the Waikato this week after brief showers did little to help parched farms, and the Hawkes Bay is expected to follow suit.

The big dry has parts of the country firmly in its grip. The Government has declared a drought in Northland and is expected to do so in Waikato.

Dry weather and the high kiwi dollar are causing "a deepening pessimism" to spread among sheep and beef farmers.

Rain-starved fruitgrowers in the Hawke's Bay say they're willing to breach water restrictions in a desperate attempt to save their crops.

"Million-dollar rain" was how Hawke's Bay Federated Farmers president Bruce Wills described yesterday's downpours which swept the region.

Federated Farmers say farmers should have the right to decide if they want to use genetically modified technology.

A genetics company's refusal to pay compensation over calves who were born with a mutation could result in a "civil war" between farmers, says Federated Farmers.