Editorial: Agri's mojo is back
OPINION: Good times are coming back for the primary industries. From sentiment expressed at Fieldays to the latest rural confidence survey results, all indicate farmer confidence at a near-record high.
Animal management and fencing supplier Gallagher took out a gong at Fieldays 2016.
The company won the International Innovation Award for its Flashmate electronic heat detector.
This tool for lifting a herd's mating performance places a flashing red light on cows' flanks to tell farm staff that a cow is on heat; and it helps improve submission rates by detecting animals that might otherwise have been missed. Read more about it here.
Mark Harris, global marketing manager at Gallagher, says the award is a nice fit with this year's Fieldays theme of collaboration.
"We're extremely proud to receive this award which was developed in a partnership with technology company Farmshed Labs. After testing and refinement in the lab and on farms nationwide, the product is now launched across Australasia. The award recognises our and our partner's efforts in bringing the product to the market."
Profitability issues facing arable farmers are the same across the world, says New Zealand's special agricultural trade envoy Hamish Marr.
Over 85% of Fonterra farmer suppliers will be eligible for customer funding up to $1,500 for solutions designed to drive on-farm efficiency gains and reduce emissions intensity.
Tighter beef and lamb production globally have worked to the advantage of NZ, according to the Meat Industry Association (MIA).
Groundswell is ramping up its 'Quit Paris' campaign with signs going up all over the country.
Some farmers in the Nelson region are facing up to five years of hard work to repair their damaged properties caused by the recent devastating floods.
Federated Farmers is joining major industry-good bodies in not advocating for the Government to withdraw from the Paris Agreement.