How farmers make spring count
OPINION: Spring is a critical season for farmers – a time when the right decisions can set the tone for productivity and profitability throughout the year.
Students looking to fund their agriculture or engineering studies have until October 28 to apply for one of four Ballance Agri-Nutrients scholarships.
The scholarships will provide $4000 a year for up to three years and are open to immediate family members of Ballance shareholders or company employees. They are for students wanting to study at tertiary level in either the general primary industry field or in process engineering.
Ballance research and development manager Warwick Catto says New Zealand scientists are developing world-leading capabilities in agricultural technology, animal health and also food technology.
"Our economy is inextricably linked to maximising the use of our land and we're very good at it," says Catto.
"Our primary industries need high quality people who study hard to solve very real world problems both today in our fields and paddocks and also in the future. Our scholarships make a real contribution."
Nearly 60 students have benefited from the Ballance scholarship programme since 2002.
For more details or to apply, visit www.ballance.co.nz
Additional tariffs introduced by the Chinese Government last month on beef imports should favour New Zealand farmers and exporters.
Primary sector leaders have praised the government and its officials for putting the Indian free trade deal together in just nine months.
Primary sector leaders have welcomed the announcement of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and New Zealand.
Dairy farmers are still in a good place despite volatile global milk prices.
Legal controls on the movement of fruits and vegetables are now in place in Auckland’s Mt Roskill suburb, says Biosecurity New Zealand Commissioner North Mike Inglis.
Arable growers worried that some weeds in their crops may have developed herbicide resistance can now get the suspected plants tested for free.

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