Editorial: Roll on 2021!
OPINION: There is no doubt that 2020 has been a challenging year for New Zealand and the world.
Federated Farmers is encouraging South Island farmers to enter a competition to discover who could become the South Island's farmer of farmers.
"The 2013 Lincoln University Foundation South Island Farmer of the Year Competition is about finding the Mainland's next best farmer," says Bruce Wills, Federated Farmers President.
"This competition is unique in two regards. For starters, it is open to all farmers whether they are apiarists or the growers of zucchinis. Secondly, the competition for the first time ever will accept nominations of deserving farmers from third parties.
"Many farmers are focussed on getting out there and just doing what they do best. As such, they can be reluctant to self-nominate so by allowing third-parties this right, it means the very best can be celebrated by us all.
"The competition's top prize is a $20,000 travel grant, which allows the winner to travel overseas to look at other farming practices and technologies. It is about doing what Kiwis do best and that is to adopt and adapt best practice wherever it is found.
"The Lincoln University Foundation is also offering four new category prizes in Human Resource Management, the Use of Technology, Consumer Awareness and in Resource Use Efficiency. The winner of each category will receive an impressive $5,000.
"Nominations are open now and will close on August 1, 2013.
"Federated Farmers encourages South Island farmers, farm workers, contractors, suppliers and friends to visit the Lincoln University Foundation's website for more details," Wills concluded.
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.
OPINION: In the same way that even a stopped clock is right twice a day, economists sometimes get it right.
OPINION: The proposed RMA reforms took a while to drop but were well signaled after the election.