Trade balance with the US a saving grace
New Zealand is so far escaping the unpredictable vagaries of President Donald Trump's trade policies by the skin of its teeth.
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.
Among the regular exhibitors at last month’s South Island Agricultural Field Days, the one that arguably takes the most intensive preparation every time is the PGG Wrightson Seeds site.
Two high producing Canterbury dairy farmers are moving to blended stockfeed supplements fed in-shed for a number of reasons, not the least of which is to boost protein levels, which they can’t achieve through pasture under the region’s nitrogen limit of 190kg/ha.
Buoyed by strong forecasts for milk prices and a renewed demand for dairy assets, the South Island rural real estate market has begun the year with positive momentum, according to Colliers.
The six young cattle breeders participating in the inaugural Holstein Friesian NZ young breeder development programme have completed their first event of the year.
New Zealand feed producers are being encouraged to boost staff training to maintain efficiency and product quality.
OPINION: The world is bracing for a trade war between the two biggest economies.