NZ remains lowest-cost milk producer - report
The cost of producing milk in New Zealand continues to compare favourably with other exporting regions despite a lift in production costs over the past five years.
APPLICATIONS CLOSE at the end of April for this year's Rabobank Farm Managers Program, a business management course for the next generation of farm leaders.
It offers young farmers from across New Zealand and Australia, and a range of agricultural sectors, the opportunity to develop and enhance their business management skills.
Rabobank business programs manager Nerida Sweetapple says the Farm Managers Program is constantly evolving to reflect changes in the agriculture.
"We make adjustments each year to the program content to reflect feedback from participants and our own research – as 2014 is the International Year of the Family Farm, the pressing issue of farm succession will be a key focus of this year's program," Sweetapple says.
Delivered in one week-long residential module, the program covers the latest practices in business management, leadership, planning, finance, and communication and how these can be applied directly to participants' farm businesses.
Only a limited number of high calibre applicants are accepted for each year's intake, selected from a group of leading farmers from a range of commodities and geographical locations in New Zealand and Australia.
Sweetapple says many past participants credit the Farm Managers Program with giving them the tools and inspiration to develop their farm career and take their business to a new level.
Applications for the 2014 Rabobank Farm Managers Program are open until April 28. This year's program will be held at the Grange Cleveland Winery, Lancefield, Victoria from June 16-20.
Media Release April 9, 2014
Primary producers interested in further information on the program or an application form can contact Nerida Sweetapple on +61 2 8115 4139 or visit www.rabobank.co.nz/bmp.
This International Women's Day, there are calls to address a reported gender disparity gap between men women New Zealand's horticulture industry leadership.
WorkSafe New Zealand is calling on farmers to consider how vehicles move inside their barns and sheds, following a sentencing for a death at one of South Canterbury’s biggest agribusinesses.
Now is not the time to stop incorporating plantain into dairy pasture systems to reduce nitrogen (N) loss, says Agricom Australasia brand manager Mark Brown.
Building on the success of last year's events, the opportunity to attend People Expos is back for 2025, offering farmers the chance to be inspired and gain more tips and insights for their toolkits to support their people on farm.
Ballance Agri-Nutrients fertiliser SustaiN – which contains a urease inhibitor that reduces the amount of ammonia released to the air – has now been registered by the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI). It is the first fertiliser in New Zealand to achieve this status.
Precision application of nitrogen can improve yields, but the costs of testing currently outweigh improved returns, according to new research from Plant and Food Research, MPI and Ravensdown.
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