Red meat rebound
The red meat sector is poised for a strong rebound this season, with export receipts forecast to top $10 billion and farm profitability to almost double.
Matt McRae, a farmer from Mokoreta in Southland who runs a sheep, beef and dairy support business alongside a sheep stud, has been elected to the Beef +Lamb NZ Board as a farmer director.
McRae received 5,104 weighted votes. Glen McDonald received 1,552 weighted votes and Simon Davies received 811 weighted votes.
B+LNZ Board Chair Kate Acland congratulated McRae, noting he is currently Chair of B+LNZ’s Southern South Island Farmer Council.
“Matt is already highly engaged with the organisation and I look forward to him bringing new ideas and energy to the Board table.
“I’d also like to thank Glen and Simon for standing for election. It’s heartening to see such a high calibre of candidates put themselves forward.”
Turnout for the director election was 15.95 percent, which is on par with comparable organisations.
Current Southern South Island farmer director Geoffrey Young is retiring at the annual meeting.
“At that time, we’ll formally farewell and thank Geoffrey for his service to the organisation. He has been a strong advocate for sheep and beef farming interests in the deep South and has brought a collaborative approach to Board discussions.”
Results of other voting – Company resolutions to increase director fees and to appoint an auditor – will follow the annual meeting on Wednesday (18 March).
Testing confirms H5 bird flu in a single northern giant petrel, found dead on a remote Cape Palliser beach in the Wairarapa, says Dr Mary van Andel, the Ministry for Primary Industries' (MPI) Chief Veterinary Officer.
"What's for dinner?" may sound like a simple question, but for many Kiwi parents, answering it has become a job in itself.
Fifty Eight years ago, on the 16th of August 1968, August Claas, the founder of the harvesting company and father of Helmut Claas, personally presented a Claas Senator combine harvester to Scottish farmer John Steven.
New Zealand consumers are paying more for beef mince than ever before, with the average retail price now sitting above $24 per kilogram, according to Rabobank.
State farmer Pamu has delivered its strongest operating result on record.
Four years since it was first detected in New Zealand, researchers and growers now know much more about management of maize pest fall armyworm (FAW).

OPINION: The same mainstream media muppets that brought you Jacindamania in 2017 have been flat out pimping for the Opportunities…
OPINION: Your old mate reckons the atrocious way farmers in the UK are treated by their lords and masters in…