Editorial: Punching Above Our Weight
OPINION: With 10,500 dairy farms, New Zealand continues to punch above its weight around the world.
Three sitting Fonterra directors - chairman Peter McBride, Leonie Guiney and John Nicholls - have been re-elected to the board for another three-year term.
The three directors were the only candidates for board elections this year: however new election rules mean a candidate must get over 50% of the votes cast to be elected.
Fonterra Co-operative Council chairman James Barron announced that shareholders had voted to re-elect the three sitting directors.
Elections were also held in three council wards.
In Ward 10 (Northern Bay of Plenty) Don Hammond was re-elected.
In Ward 13 (Central Taranaki) Karyn Johnson and in Ward 19 (Tasman / Marlborough) Simon Tripe defeated their opponents to get elected to the council for the first time.
In the seven other Co-operative Council wards where elections were due, nominees were elected unopposed.
They are: Ward 1 (Northern Northland) Peter Giesbers, Ward 2(Central Northland) Greg Collins, Ward 7 (Waipa) Mike Montgomerie, Ward 16 (Central Districts West) Megan Cushnahan, Ward 21 (Central Canterbury) Mark Slee, Ward 22 (South Canterbury) Mark Cressey and Ward 25 (Western Southland) Kevin Dixon.
Giesbers, Collins, Cushnahan, Cressey and Dixon are new councillors.
A Palmerston North shearer has been sentenced to six months' community detention and 12 months' supervision after being found to have physically abused three lambs while shearing them.
Power Farming has launched a joint venture in Southland.
Food rescue charity Meet the Need has released its 2025/26 Impact Report, revealing a record year of growth alongside a stark warning: demand for food support across New Zealand is rising faster than supply can keep up.
As we move into the second half of 2026, the Tractor and Machinery Association (TAMA) reports that Year-to-Date figures ending June 30 saw new tractor deliveries hitting 1,386 units or 10.7% ahead of the same period in 2025.
The avocado sector is entering the new season with a larger crop and positive market opportunities.
New Zealand growers have always adapted to changing conditions, but one challenge is steadily gaining ground across the horticulture sector: resistance.
OPINION: The Irish dairy sector is facing a new dilemma - maintaining year-round fresh milk supplies.
OPINION: Could beef cows play an increasingly important role in improving profitability and resilience on hill country farms?