Rural news

24 Jan 19, 9:50am

Guy Trafford assess the consequences of heightened American competition in the dairy export trade, and looks at their staying power. Westland Coop draws Saputo interest
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Extraordinarily favourable weather boosts rural property market

24 Jan 19, 9:47am

Greg Ninness

Farm sales ended last year on a high note with good weather lifting sales although prices were flat overall
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Finding a path for dairy

23 Jan 19, 4:30pm

Keith Woodford

40 comments

Keith Woodford explains how transforming dairy to be environmentally friendly is possible, but existing debt will be a big constraint
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Getting too old to thrive?

23 Jan 19, 9:12am

Guy Trafford

15 comments

Guy Trafford takes another look at a growing problem that never seems to get resolved, notes a full effort to protect 'old world' markets, and assesses changes to farm gate prices
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'May you live in interesting times'

17 Jan 19, 5:53pm

Guy Trafford

1 comment

Guy Trafford looks at what is on the dairy agenda at the start of the new year, on-farm, at the dairy companies, the weather, and in the trade arena
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Where will young farmers be trained?

16 Jan 19, 4:48pm

Guy Trafford

14 comments

Guy Trafford laments the state of agricultural training for a backbone sector as another bites the dust, reviews NZ's Brexit risks, and assesses the state of livestock markets in 2019
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That was 2018 – now for 2019

15 Jan 19, 5:39pm

Allan Barber

2 comments

Allan Barber says if 2018 was full of unexpected developments and uncertainties, 2019 is likely to be even more challenging
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Mycoplasma bovis is not yet done and dusted

8 Jan 19, 9:31am

Keith Woodford

22 comments

Keith Woodford explains why the Mycoplasma battle is far from over; at best it is the end of the beginning
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Uncertainty underpins the dairy demand outlook for 2019

28 Dec 18, 9:31am

Guest

Production pressure sees Rabobank lowering farm gate milk price forecast despite another small lift in recent GDT auction results
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The dairy roundup

20 Dec 18, 10:46am

Guy Trafford

12 comments

Guy Trafford finishes 2018 with a GDT review, news of a new Fish & Game river survey, calling out plant-based-milk, and an update on the MPB eradication
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Good weather for pasture growth bolsters the rural property market

19 Dec 18, 3:33pm

Greg Ninness

4 comments

Farm sales and prices are both up compared to last year, but there are still a few rough patches says the REINZ
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The major impactors in 2019

19 Dec 18, 8:45am

Guy Trafford

12 comments

Guy Trafford takes a look at what 2019 might bring for farmers in terms of climate-related regulation, land prices, and product prices. He's not pessimistic on everything
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Reflections on the year that was

19 Dec 18, 8:26am

Allan Barber

Allan Barber looks back of a year where New Zealand agriculture had to face a range of unexpected developments and a number of growing uncertainties, almost all of which will be festering in 2019
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A "honey" of a Christmas Raving

15 Dec 18, 10:09am

Rodney Dickens

11 comments

Rodney Dickens thinks he spots a bust about to unfold in the manuka honey market after a strong boom - caused but the usual suspect, fast rising new supply
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Three key dairy issues

13 Dec 18, 9:07am

Guy Trafford

1 comment

Guy Trafford reviews Fonterra's fixed milk price plan, Fed Farmers banking survey, and Simon Upton's critique of Overseer
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Producing paperwork

12 Dec 18, 11:45am

Guy Trafford

2 comments

Guy Trafford solves the riddle of why farmer confidence is low when prices are high. The cost of increased box-ticking makes the future of smaller family farms less viable
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Agriculture sector debt in 10 charts and tables

12 Dec 18, 10:13am

Gareth Vaughan

18 comments

A government Farm Debt Mediation Bill would be 'a useful tool in the tool kit' Federated Farmers says as farmers' satisfaction with their banks drops
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December log market report

11 Dec 18, 4:55pm

Scott Downs

3 comments

China log demand stable but lower freight costs absorbed by higher NZD. Sawn timber exports strong especially to the EU, and prospects bright
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Fonterra touts more certainty for farmers with fixed milk price

11 Dec 18, 12:02pm

admin

Fonterra unveils a new financial tool it says will help farmers gain more certainty of what they will be paid for their milk
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Tractor buying leaps

11 Dec 18, 11:24am

David Chaston

4 comments

The new tractor sales surge underlines confidence in rural sectors, and is part of the growth of rural exports built on rising productivity and in spite of a rising NZD
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