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'Highly careless' forestry harvest results in convictions

Typical example of forestry slash waste in stream. Photo Credit: Waikato Regional Council.

Convictions and fines totalling over $100,000 have been imposed for environmental damage caused by a “highly careless” pine woodlot harvest and associated earthworks on a farm in northern Waikato.

Emissions plan a kick in the guts for Southland farmers - Simmonds

Invercargill MP and National Party Associate Spokesperson for Agriculture Penny Simmonds describes the Government’s recently released emissions plan as another kick in the guts for farmers, one which she claims threatens the future of farming in the South.

Could Waikato solar farm be a ray of sunlight?

The land will also operate a sheep grazing operation - taking over from a previous dairy herd.

UK-based Harmony Energy was recently granted Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) approval to develop a new solar farm in Te Aroha West.

Cutting back crop inputs

Arable farmer Andrew Darling wants to see how far he can go in reducing nitrogen applications without impacting on yield.

South Canterbury arable farmer Andrew Darling is looking to be more sustainable in how he manages his farm, particularly in terms of nitrogen management.

Cheaper not better!

Straight 8 Estate Winery owner James Shand says they are competing against big outfits that might routinely rip up and replace tens of thousands of vines each season in search of better yields or to follow changing varietal demand.

Straight 8 Estate Winery owner James Shand says typical New Zealand wine buyers aren't going to help him meet his costs, because they can buy cheap imports at the supermarket.

Hard work keeping it on the straight and narrow

Mary Jamieson and James Shand’s Straight 8 is the only winery left in the Burnham area on the southern outskirts of Christchurch.

It's a hard road making wine on State Highway One, just south of Christchurch.

Isolation a cause for concern

The industry’s isolated nature is why Farmstrong encourages farmers to get off farm regularly.

Mental health programme Farmstrong is encouraging people to get off farm and take a break.

Cashing in on natural

Wools of NZ’s advertising campaign aims to leverage the increasing demand for wool carpets in New Zealand.

Moves to promote the natural and sustainable features of wool versus synthetic fibres and its fossil fuel connections appears to be growing momentum around the world.

Merger helping NZ wool sector to get stronger

Wools of NZ chief executive John McWhirter says the company’s strategy is to capture more value for its 2,000 grower shareholders.

A year down the track after joining forces with Primary Wool Co-operative, Wools of New Zealand (WNZ) describes the merger as a success.

Low emissions not production

AgResearch senior scientist Dr Suzanne Rowe says they’ve managed to breed sheep that produce less methane while still producing good quality meat.

AgResearch scientists say they’ve managed to breed sheep that produce less methane while still producing good quality meat.

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Bursting the methane bubble

Climate scientist Dave Frame (pictured) and former climate change negotiator Adrian Macey argue why NZ bureaucrats and politicians need to adopt the more accurate measurement of livestock methane emission GWP*.

In their report for BusinessDesk, Adrian Macey and Dave Frame point out that the 30-year-old metric chosen by the UN to measure the different greenhouse gases (known as GWP100) is inaccurate for short-lived gases - such as methane.