How do your wheat crops look this year? Average, good, great? United Wheatgrowers, Federated Farmers and New Zealand Grain and Seed Trade Association now invite entries from growers in the annual wheat awards. Crops harvested in 2021 are eligible for entry in the following classes: Premium milling wheat, milling wheat, gristing wheat, feed wheat, and […]
Arable
A day in the life of an arable farmer…
New Zealand’s arable industry is worth $2.1 billion each year to the economy, and earns us $260 million in export sales. It also employs more than 11,300 Kiwis. It’s a diverse sector, and a world leader in both volume and quality producing the likes of radish seed, white clover seed and carrot seed. But while […]
Knowing your fertiliser includes understanding how it spreads
With the summer season being a busy time for farmers and growers keen to get the fert’ on, there’s often a tendency to focus on getting the job done, rather than think too much about what’s in the product or how it’s being applied, says the Fertiliser Quality Council. The organisation, which overseas Fertmark and […]
Glyphosate – a tool that requires care
Colin Hurst, Federated Farmers Arable Industry Group Chairperson The news that the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) requires all honey exports to Japan to undergo glyphosate testing, has again generated media comment about the safety of its ongoing use. Those in the primary sector are glyphosate’s primary users, but it is also commonly used […]
Road care and courtesy needed at harvest time
Harvest season is in full swing and Federated Farmers is urging motorists and the operators of agricultural machinery to show each other some care and understanding. “Not everyone has appreciated the recent sweltering temperatures but for arable farmers in the middle of harvesting, the golden weather is both a bonus and a race to get […]
Reducing the fire risk in rural areas this summer
By Philippa Rawlinson, Federated Farmers Arable Industry Group Advisor We have all seen on our television screens the risks posed by poor management of vegetation on rural land in recent years. The Lake Ohau blaze that destroyed 48 homes, charred Department of Conservation land that had been ungrazed, the Port Hills fires (2017 and 2020) […]