Replacing farms with forests?
A horror story - that’s how Federated Farmers describes new research looking at forestry conversions’ impact on water quality.
The urban-rural divide is a myth.
These are just some of the findings from Farming for Good, a new collection of social science research exploring New Zealanders relationship with farming.
Initiated by the Our Land and Water National Science Challenge, the collection is New Zealand's most comprehensive study of the social licence to farm, drawing on findings from five research projects conducted during 2022-2023.
"The Farming for Good research collection is about understandng where trust and connection is strong in our food & farming system, where it might be faltering and how to build it back," says Peter Edwards - senior researcher at Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research and lead on the 'Connecting Food Producers and Consumers' research project.
The collection also launches alongside a social experiment. The 'Food & Farming People's Panel' brings the research to life. It asks hard questions of eight everyday people from across the food system - like how climate change makes them feel, what the farmer of the future looks like and how we solve New Zealand's food security issues.
Some of the findings across the 26-piece collection include:
https://ourlandandwater.nz/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Farming-for-Good_Factsheet.pdf
Holstein Friesian excellence was front and centre at the 2025 Holstein Friesian NZ (HFNZ) Awards, held recently in Invercargill.
The work Fonterra has done with Ballance Agri-Nutrients Ltd, LIC and Ravensdown to save farmers time through better data connections has been recognised with a national award.
This past week has seen another round of negotiations between India and New Zealand to produce a free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries.
Cautiously optimistic is how DairyNZ's regional manager for the lower North Island, Mark Laurence describes the mood of farmers in his patch.
The Infrastructure Commission has endorsed a plan by Chorus to expand fibre broadband to 95% of New Zealand much to the delight of rural women.
Questions are being raised about just how good the state of the dairy industry is - especially given that the average farmgate payout for the coming season is set to exceed $10/kgMS.
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