Ah Tatua, You've Done It Again!
Waikato milk processor Tatua has again declared a record milk payout to farmer shareholders, leaving other processors in the dust.
Federated Farmers Dairy chairman Willy Leferink is saddened by Colin Armer's exit from Fonterra board.
"It was a shock," says Leferink.
"It is sad Colin won't see out his term to November's annual general meeting. I thought Colin would have stuck with it for the next three or so months."
Leferink says Armer's departure means the board is losing some genuine institutional knowledge.
"It seems to be going from a blended board of new blood and older hands, to a board where there will be a number of reasonably fresh directors.
"That's not a criticism of the new directors, but experience needs to be retained in a blended board.
"It is all the more reason why Fonterra needs a deputy chair."
South of the central Hawke’s Bay town of Waipukurau is Taniwha Station – a highly successful 550ha bull beef farming operation.
Beef + Lamb NZ funded research has shown that some simple changes to pasture management could help farmers make better use of rainfall and build resilience before dry conditions hit.
OPINION: There could hardly be a more appropriate theme for a conference than the one chosen by the red meat sector - Navigating Volatility.
When Northland leather worker Vernon Suckling started making horse saddles 50 years ago, quad bikes and side-by-side vehicles were unheard of.
Alliance Group has confirmed that eligible farmer-shareholders who supply and continue to back the business will receive up to $20 million later this year, following the strategic investment partnership with Dawn Meats.
With a general election under five weeks away, Rural News is asking major political parties about their policies and positions on key issues facing the primary sector. We will run their responses to each question over the next four weeks. The ACT Party and the Greens didn't respond in time.
OPINION: It seems Canterbury processor Synlait is still in the doldrums.
OPINION: Get offside with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters at your own peril.