Floating Farm Sinks
OPINION: The world's first floating dairy farm, once hailed as a vision of farming's future, is up for sale after seven years.
OPINION: The fate of methane inhibitor Bovaer in NZ farming is still up in the air.
While many countries, including Australia, have approved the use of the feed additive, authorities in NZ are still grappling with allowing NZ dairy farmers to use it.
Controversy erupted just before Christmas, when BBC's Inside Science podcast reported on a social media backlash to well-known brands of milk, butter and cheese sold at major United Kingdom supermarkets, produced using milk from lower-methane cows.
After false rumours Fonterra was using the product, the dairy giant tweeted last month that food safety and quality were its "number one priority" and that Bovaer had not been approved for use on New Zealand farms.
In the past, much has been made of the concept of farm to fork, but an Australian expert in food science and marketing with experience in the dairy industry, Dr Angeline Achariya, says the reverse of this slogan is critical to win modern day consumers.
Efficiency is the big one because it tracks back into what is done on farm.
A four year trial has reaffirmed that mixing plantain into dairy pastures can help reduce nitrogen losses to freshwater while maintaining milk production and profitability, say researchers.
Fonterra has opened its upgraded Chengdu Application Centre, bringing New Zealand dairy expertise closer to customers in one of China's fastest-growing regions.
When it comes to annual rebates, it's been a long time between drinks for Ravensdown shareholders.
Special courses for secondary school teachers to help excite kids about agriculture and horticulture are now being run at Massey University.