DROUGHT RAVAGED dairy farmers should not expect immediate respite when the rain arrives.

BEES FACE starvation and, surprisingly, drowning as a result of the drought, says John Hartnell, head Federated Farmers’ bee group.

MANY SHEEP and beef farmers will need to arrange bank help to carry them through the drought, says Professor Keith Woodford, Lincoln University.

ABOUT 20 calls a day are being received by the Waikato Rural Support Trust, mostly from young farmers concerned about their financial position.

Beef + Lamb New Zealand chairman Mike Petersen challenged meat companies at its annual meeting in Wanaka this month. “Farmers want to hear for themselves the gains made by companies in the procurement and market areas; not in PR speak, but real numbers of real gains making a dollar difference to returns to farmers.” Rural News put this to the four big meat companies and a couple of others. Here are their responses.

Protest meetings in Victoria and South Australia, further planned demonstrations and a direct meeting have all left Federal Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig unmoved.

AUSTRALIAN BEEF farmers are pushing the Gillard Government to restart free trade agreement talks with South Korea. Industry leaders visited Seoul this month seeking to resume talks with the South Koreans.

THE THREAT of climate change to global agriculture will be the focus of an international conference in the United States this month.

THE HOT dry summer is a boost for horticulture, but growers too need rain in the next few weeks.

THE 2013 year started with reasonable optimism. Dairy production was tracking nicely and dairy prices took off. For sheep there was hope that new Asian demand for lamb and wool would bring a move in the right direction. Meanwhile, the US drought last year meant demand for our beef, grains and produce were looking healthy. 

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