Bulk wine exports surpass packaged wine volumes
Data from February 2025 shows volumes of bulk wine exports exceeded packaged wine.
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) will begin a cull of 22,332 cattle on all properties infected with Mycoplasma bovis after scientific testing and tracing confirmed the disease was not endemic.
The culling of all cattle infected with Mycoplasma bovis will give farmers much-needed certainty over their futures, says Agriculture and Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor.
O’Connor says this is a critical measure to control the spread of the disease.
“It has taken some time to get to this point.
“The previous National Government ignored the known deficiencies of the NAIT system and was slow to react to the initial discovery of Mycoplasma bovis.
“Everyone across New Zealand can understand how incredibly difficult it is for these farmers to lose their herds – many of these animals will be known individually. While we still have challenges ahead in managing this outbreak, these families can move forward with their farms and lives.”
MPI is boosting its compensation team to ensure prompt payment to affected farmers.
“Work continues to determine whether we can eradicate or move to long-term management of Mycoplasma bovis,” says O’Connor.
After 20 years of milking cows, Northland farmer Greg Collins is ready to step into the governance side of dairy.
For some Canterbury teenagers, their career is being shaped by hands-on experience in a sector they are passionate about - dairy farming.
Dairy farmers will be paying a new levy rate of 4.5c/kgMS - an extra 0.9c/kgMS - to industry-good body DairyNZ from June 1 this year.
The 'atmospheric river' of rain that swept down the country last week almost completely avoided one of the worst drought-affected regions in the country – coastal Taranaki.
Much-needed rain finally arrived in Northland, giving many farmers breathing space to get themselves back on track for next season.
Despite the turmoil in global markets, Fonterra is continuing with a dual track process to divest its multi-billion dollars consumer businesses.