Ravensdown partners with Footrot Flats to celebrate Kiwi farming heritage
Ravensdown has announced a collaboration with Kiwi icon, Footrot Flats in an effort to bring humour, heart, and connection to the forefront of the farming sector.
Ravensdown’s Technical Development manager Michael White addresses the crowd about solving the challenges of hill country farms topography with remote sensing technology to improve the identification of nutrient requirements – Photo by Steve Attwood
Winners' field day goers witnessed the spectacular scene of more than 75 cars snaking through the back tracks of Omarama station.
The cars, in a plume of high country dust, were a visual highlight of the South Island Farmer of the Year winners' field day on Monday.
But for the more than 250 attendees, the real meat in the day was the challenges and opportunities put to them by a variety of speakers.
Hosted by the Lincoln University Foundation and title winners Richard and Annabelle Subtil and their team, the field day was a popular attraction with visitors from throughout New Zealand.
Foundation chair Ben Todhunter says the day had a strong theme of looking forward and new opportunities.
Advances in farm technology, soil science, pasture trial successes in demanding high country soils, stock genetics, data collection and application, and innovative thinking were featured, Todhunter says.
"The day had an air of optimism for New Zealand high country farming, highlighted by end users such as Silver Fern Farms (red meats) and Icebreaker (fine wools) looking at the growing benefits to New Zealand of farmers working directly with their companies to produce what the consumer wants."
Todhunter says the diverse audience was actively interested with sharp and testing questions being put to presenters.
A recent Beef + Lamb New Zealand quad safety field day, held along the rugged Whanganui river valley at Kakatahi, focused on identifying risks and taking appropriate actions to minimise unplanned accidents.
Healthy snacking company Rockit has announced Wang Yibo, one of China's most influential celebrities, as its new brand ambassador.
Rabobank has celebrated the tenth anniversary of its AgPathways Programme, with 23 farmers from Otago and Southland gathering for two-and-a-half days to learn new business management and planning skills.
Adopting strategies to reduce worm burden on farm goes hand-in--hand with best practice farm management practices to optimise stock production and performance, veterinarian Andrew Roe says.
Last night saw the winners of the 2026 Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) Awards named at a gala dinner at Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre.
A 12-month pathway programme has helped kickstart a career in dairy for an 18-year-old student-turned-farmer.

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