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
New Zealand milk production is off to a strong start, with the first month of the 2025/26 dairy season recording a whopping 17.8% jump in milk production, compared to the previous season.
With adverse weather set to rain down on the Top of the South, the Bay of Plenty and parts of Northland, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says farmers, foresters, and growers need to prepare for possible challenges.
Keep up with innovation and e-commerce in China or risk losing market share. That was the message delivered at the China Business Summit in Auckland this month.
Meat Industry Association (MIA) independent chair Nathan Guy says getting meat processors involved has been a shot in the arm for the sector's key marketing initiative into China, Taste Pure Nature.
Listed carpet manufacturer, Bremworth is undertaking a $6 million expansion at its Napier plant more than two years after the site was heavily damaged by Cyclone Gabrielle.
Federated Farmers is vowing to keep the big banks accountable for their actions and to continue pushing for meaningful change in the rural lending sector.
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