James Blair Named 2026 Young Grower National Champion
James Blair, an agronomist for AS Wilcox and the Pukekohe regional champion, has won the 2026 Young Grower national title.
Door-to-door, local fruit and vegetable box deliveries can go ahead under Alert Level 4 restrictions.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) says door-to-door, local fruit and vegetable box deliveries can go ahead under COVID-19 Alert Level 4 restrictions.
However, COVID-19 anti-transmission measures must be in place.
The MBIE advisory follows a query from Horticulture NZ.
In a posting on its website, HortNZ says “MBIE has just advised HortNZ that door-to-door, local fruit and vegetable box deliveries can go ahead, but Covid-19 anti-transmission measures must be in place, such as the 2m distancing rule and deliveries being done without individual contact”.
Orders must be made by phone or online and paid for online, so there is no handling of cash. Orders must also be left at the door, so there is no physical contact: appropriate safe food handling and COVID-19 anti-transmission measures must be in place at all times.
MBIE has also pointed out that independent fruit and vegetable outlets must remain closed to the public.
Pāmu has released its FY26 Integrated Annual Report, reporting a Net Operating Profit of $113 million, more than double the $49 million recorded in FY25.
Meat Industry Association data, released alongside the Red Meat Sector conference in Wellington, shows export value climbing across the US, China, UK and Canada.
Applications are set to open for the 2027 Zanda McDonald Award, a trans-Tasman award recognised for identifying and fast-tracking talented young leaders in agriculture and agribusiness.
The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (the College) and Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network are calling for investment in a proposed new training pathway for rural GPs, warning that many rural practices are struggling to recruit while a large share of the existing workforce nears retirement.
Federated Farmers has called on Central Otago District Council (CODC) to drop or vote down a plan to truck sludge from Alexandra and Cromwell to farmland near Lauder, warning it would compound an "outrageous" situation created by a separate council's decision weeks earlier.
Synlait has swung to second-half profit as operations stabilise, but the dairy processor still posted a $75.4m annual loss.

OPINION: The same mainstream media muppets that brought you Jacindamania in 2017 have been flat out pimping for the Opportunities…
OPINION: Your old mate reckons the atrocious way farmers in the UK are treated by their lords and masters in…