Conveyance Allowance Increase Welcomed by Rural Women
Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) and Federated Farmers say they welcome the announcement last week that the Government will increase the conveyance allowance by 30%.
In the past year, the Farmer Time for Schools programme which seeks to connect New Zealand school students with farmers, has experienced further growth.
The programme was set up by Beef + Lamb New Zealand Inc to provide Kiwi kids with a glimpse of farm life through live video calls with farmers.
In the past 12 months, the program has achieved a 14.1% increase in student participation.
Marie Burke, Farmer Time for Schools national coordinator, says the programme continues to have a meaningful impact on students, teachers, and farmers.
“This initiative has proven its value time and time again by providing invaluable learning experiences for young Kiwis,” Burke says.
“We see students develop a real connection with the land and their food, while farmers gain a sense of pride in sharing their knowledge,” she adds.
This year, 1,253 students took part in the programme, with 57 farmer-teacher pairings bringing farming and food production to life in the classroom.
The programme covers a range of curriculum areas, including English, science, social sciences, technology, and mathematics. It also introduces students to a range of farm types, including sheep and beef, dairy, deer, horticulture, arable, and beekeeping.
Throughout the year, students explore key farming topics like sustainability, animal care, soil health, technology, and the role the climate plays in food production.
Āta Regenerative is bringing international expertise to New Zealand to help farmers respond to growing soil and water challenges, as environmental monitoring identifies declining ecosystem function and reduced water-holding capacity across farms.
Yili's New Zealand businesses have reported record profits following a major organisational and strategic transformation.
Owners and lessees of certain Hino Trucks New Zealand diesel vehicles have just 10 days remaining to register or opt out of a proposed $10.9 million class action settlement.
Silver Fern Farms has successfully produced and delivered 90 tonnes of premium chilled New Zealand lamb and beef to the United Arab Emirates via airfreight.
For the first three months of 2026, new tractor deliveries saw an increase over the previous two months, resulting in year-to-date deliveries climbing to 649 units - around 5% ahead of the same period in 2025.
QU Dongyu, director-general of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), has issued a warning saying that global fertiliser scarcity caused by disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz will lead to lower yields and tightening food supplies into 2027.