Ravensdown partners with Footrot Flats to celebrate Kiwi farming heritage
Ravensdown has announced a collaboration with Kiwi icon, Footrot Flats in an effort to bring humour, heart, and connection to the forefront of the farming sector.
Ravensdown returned savings of about $1.3 million to its farmers.
The savings are thanks to the difference between the two superphosphate manufacturers' web-listed price for customers buying super-based products between September 1 and December 1.
Since 1 September, when Ravensdown capped its spring season super price at $320 per tonne, the value difference compared to the only other superphosphate manufacturer in New Zealand has been $7 per tonne. Some products, such as sulphur superphosphate, saw a $13 per tonne difference across the three months.
"Keeping prices capped and that low for the crucial spring months adds up to an early rebate for customers who needed the money more than we did," says Greg Campbell, Ravensdown chief executive.
From December 1, Ravensdown is taking the lead and reducing potash by $20 per tonne and ensuring other products such as urea and DAP are currently unchanged at $575 and $875 per tonne respectively.
"By moving superphosphate up $10 to $330 per tonne from 1 December, we effectively delayed the impact of any price rise during those important spring months," says Campbell.
"Even with this move, we continue to shield shareholders from the full cost of their superphosphate. We'll continue to closely monitor both global commodity prices and the falling exchange rates over the summer months.
"Despite exchange rate pressures and short term volatility, we are seeing gains in our operational efficiencies and our global suppliers supporting us as we strive to deliver all-year value to shareholders."
As farmers potentially face an El Nino summer, early superphosphate application is advisable to miss the rush before autumn rains hit. Meanwhile N-Protect, which is a coated urea product that reduces losses of nitrogen to the atmosphere, is proving valuable in hot and dry conditions.
Matt McRae, a farmer from Mokoreta in Southland who runs a sheep, beef and dairy support business alongside a sheep stud, has been elected to the Beef +Lamb NZ Board as a farmer director.
Ravensdown's next evolution in smart farming technology, HawkEye Pro, was awarded the Technology Section Award at the Southern Field Days Farm Innovation Awards in February 2026.
While mariners may recognise a “dog watch” as a two-hour shift on a ship, the Good Dog Work Watch is quite a different concept and the clever creation of Southland siblings Grace (9) and Archer Brown (7), both pupils at Riverton Primary School.
Philip and Lyneyre Hooper of the Hoopman Family Trust have tonight been named the Taranaki Regional Supreme Winners at the Ballance Farm Environment Awards.
We are not a bunch of sky cowboys. That was one of the key messages from the chairperson of the NZ Agricultural Aviation Association (NZAAA) Kent Weir, speaking at an education day at Feilding aerodrome for 25 policymakers and regulators from central and local government and other rural professionals.
New Zealand's dairy and beef industries say they welcome the announcement that the Government will invest $10.49 million in the Dairy Beef Opportunities (DBO) programme.