It was an ordinary Thursday for most of us this week, but not for Southland shearer Megan Whitehead. Yesterday Megan spent nine hours tackling the women’s world lamb shearing record near Gore. Former women’s world record holder Jills Angus Burney (and the only woman to have beaten David Fagan) was supporting Megan as her mentor. “Megan achieved the […]
On Farm
Nominations open for 2021 Primary Industries Good Employer Awards
Entries are open for the 2021 Primary Industries Good Employer Awards. The Awards, run by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and the Agricultural and Marketing Research and Development Trust (AGMARDT), celebrate primary sector employers who demonstrate exceptional employment practices. “The Primary Industries Good Employer Awards provide the opportunity to recognise and celebrate outstanding employers […]
Imagine if we could store ALL that water
The recent holiday deluge of rain in the south saw two very different reactions. There was despair from the holiday makers trying to take a break from the year we’d had, right through to joy and relief from the local farmers, who were even prepared to tolerate the disruption the flooding brought because of their […]
Fonterra responsible dairying award nominations open
Nominations to a national award that flushes out dairy farmers who demonstrate innovation and passion in their approach to sustainable dairying are open until March 20th. The Fonterra Responsible Dairying Award was introduced by the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards to recognise those dairy farmers who are respected by their farming peers and their community […]
Summer fire prevention campaign aims to reduce risk
Fire and Emergency New Zealand’s new ‘check it’s alright’ website allows anyone about to light a fire to check to see if the conditions are right and if they’ve taken the right actions to reduce fire risk. Check out the website here: https://www.checkitsalright.nz/ . It features a quick 3-step ‘Can I Light A Fire?’ tool […]
Partnership the key to success for Canterbury sustainable irrigation award winners
Canterbury farming couple Ted and Sue Rollinson are the New Zealand region winners of the inaugural Zimmatic™ Sustainable Irrigation Awards. The Rollinsons own a 380-hectare dairy farm in mid-Canterbury. Sharemilkers Tom and Leanne Heneghan have been on farm for 11 years and milk 1,500 cows on the property. The awards aim to celebrate excellence in […]
Distribution partnership will lead to ‘connected cows’
Herd improvement and agri-tech cooperative LIC has formed a distribution partnership with Israeli-based Afimilk to market its hi-tech cow collars in New Zealand, supporting a global trend towards ‘connected cows’. The AfiCollar, worn around the neck, collects data on animal health, wellbeing and fertility. Afimilk is one of the dairy industry’s leading producers of cow […]
Resilient Kiwi spirit kept agriculture strong through pandemic
Kiwi ingenuity and a drive to “make it work” have been pivotal in New Zealand’s agriculture sector getting through the COVID-19 pandemic with relatively little impact, according to a new study by AgResearch and its partners. Farmers and others working in the agriculture and food systems in New Zealand and Australia were surveyed or interviewed […]
Winter grazing recommendations will work for environment, and farmers – Bernadette Hunt
Southland Federated Farmers Vice-President Bernadette Hunt is confident that recommended changes to proposed winter grazing rules put to the government this week will work for the environment as well as farmers. “We believe freshwater outcomes will be improved by the recommendations [the Southland Advisory Group] have made because they are very outcome-focused and backed by […]
Scholarship allows dream career in beekeeping to take flight
A Bay of Plenty teen has been given a boost to his dream career in beekeeping after receiving the 2020 Apiculture New Zealand Ron Mossop Youth Scholarship. Ohope-based Angus Brenton-Rule was thrilled to win the scholarship, which provides $2000 to support training and set up costs for new beekeepers, a one-year membership to industry body […]