Dairy prices mostly improved at this morning’s GlobalDairyTrade auction, the GDT price index gaining 2.4 per cent.

The Fonterra Shareholders Council is "broadly supportive" of plans for the co-operative to start sourcing milk from South Island suppliers who are not also shareholders.

A $6 billion drop in dairy farmers' incomes this season is a blow to the wider economy, no question, writes Brian Fallow. But it's not all bad.

Fonterra has moved to shore up its supply base by forming a subsidiary that can take in more milk without suppliers having to buy shares in the co-operative.

The medium to long term outlook for NZ dairy farmers remains sound, despite yesterday's payout cut, says rural lender Rabobank.

Fonterra said it had launched a separate milk sourcing subsidiary - mymilk - to grow its market share in the South Island.

Fonterra plans to cut costs and defer some capital expenditure so that an improved dividend can at least partially offset a likely $6b decline in income for the sector.

The industry group DairyNZ estimates that one quarter of dairy farmers will have difficulty paying their bills if Fonterra's reduced farmgate milk price comes to pass.

Fonterra has this morning cut its forecast farmgate milk price payout to its farmers, with its chairman admitted it'll put pressure on farm budgets.

Fonterra's workplace culture showed an entrenched 'silo' mentality that robbed it of vital cohesion, a govt report into a botched botulism scare has found.

NZ farmers are facing summer water restrictions in some regions as an El Nino weather pattern develops.

Wholemilk powder prices continued to decline while other products showed signs of improvement at this morning’s GlobalDairyTrade auction.

ANZ's commodity price index fell for the ninth month in a row in November, as milk powder prices hit five-year lows.

Falling dairy prices have begun to undermine one of the foundations of the economic upswing, rising national income from the most favourable terms of trade.

Tomorrow will see the last GlobalDairyTrade auction before Fonterra releases its revised farmgate milk price forecast for 2014/15.

Fonterra says it had started a consultation process to gauge interest in a proposed equity partnership trust for its farmers.

Andrew Rolfe, Fletcher Construction project manager, said a 16m hole on the corner of Halsey St and Gaunt St in the Wynyard Quarter had now been completed.

Dairy farmers should be able to weather a low payout for the current season, thanks to last year's record milk price, but two poor seasons in a row would put the sector under financial stress,....

New Zealand tractor sales are expected to match record highs this year, thanks to high milk prices and good growing conditions.

Fonterra now looks certain to drop its farmgate payout to its farmers, after prices fell in the latest overnight dairy auction.

John Key says major companies have been asked not to exploit the gap left by other countries' trade sanctions on Russia because to do so would be a "terrible look" for NZ.

Fonterra's NZX-listed units are still causing confusion, two years after their introduction.

Aussie billionaire Gina Rinehart is planning a A$500m investment to supply infant formula to a Chinese market forecast to almost double over three years.

The Fonterra Shareholders' Fund should be able to raise its 2015 dividend forecast given it expects to pay farmers less for their milk.

Fonterra Co-operative Group shareholders used their annual meeting in Palmerston North to raise concerns over the reduced 2015 milk payout.

ANZ New Zealand chief executive David Hisco has enjoyed a solid pay rise, with his total remuneration lifting almost 15 per cent to $4.7 million.