Meadow Fresh launches fantasy sports league powered by real cows
Meadow Fresh has created the world's first fantasy sports league powered by real cows.
New Zealand tech company Halter has raised $165 million from investors in its latest fundraising round.
The Series D fundraising round, led by BOND, a global technology investment firm, values Halter at $1.65 billion
Halter, founded by Waikato entrepreneur Craig Piggott, supplies virtual fencing and animal management systems to farmers.
Piggott says Halter was built with their early farmers.
“We wouldn’t be here without them. We’re deeply grateful for their trust. This capital will help unlock productivity gains for even more farmers.”
The company says Halter is the leading operating system to run a dairy or beef farm. The Halter system includes a solar-powered smart collar for each cow, towers for connectivity, and an app that lets farmers manage their cattle and pasture from their phone. Cattle are guided by the collar’s sound and vibration cues. Farmers can virtually fence, move, and monitor their cattle 24/7.
“Halter farmers are more profitable and get better outcomes for the environment and their animals. Farmers use Halter to grow and harvest more grass, reduce workload, increase herd size, improve animal health and welfare, and unlock environmental benefits,” says Piggott.
The latest funding round was backed by investment from NewView Capital, continued support from local investors Blackbird and Icehouse Ventures, and ongoing backing from Bessemer Venture Partners, DCVC, and Promus Ventures.
Piggott says the milestone highlights the importance of farming in society.
“Farmers are the backbone of rural communities. They feed society and play a key role in building sustainable food systems. Halter farmers are pioneering a more productive and sustainable way to farm.
“We’re delighted to partner with BOND and to welcome NewView, and we’re grateful for continued support from our investors who backed us early – we’re all aligned on our mission to support farmers.”
Farmers have voted to continue the Milksolids Levy that funds DairyNZ.
Fonterra chief executive Miles Hurrell has resigned after eight years in the role.
Matt McRae, a farmer from Mokoreta in Southland who runs a sheep, beef and dairy support business alongside a sheep stud, has been elected to the Beef +Lamb NZ Board as a farmer director.
Ravensdown's next evolution in smart farming technology, HawkEye Pro, was awarded the Technology Section Award at the Southern Field Days Farm Innovation Awards in February 2026.
While mariners may recognise a “dog watch” as a two-hour shift on a ship, the Good Dog Work Watch is quite a different concept and the clever creation of Southland siblings Grace (9) and Archer Brown (7), both pupils at Riverton Primary School.
Philip and Lyneyre Hooper of the Hoopman Family Trust have tonight been named the Taranaki Regional Supreme Winners at the Ballance Farm Environment Awards.

OPINION: Election years are usually regarded as the silly season, but a mate of the Hound reckons 2026 is shaping…
OPINION: If farmers poured just a few litres of some pollutant into a stream, the Green Party and the wider…