Farmlands Posts Strong 2025 Half-Year Growth
Rural retailer Farmlands has released it's latest round of half-year results, labeling it as evidence that its five-year strategy is delivering on financial performance and better value for members.
Meat processor and exporter Silver Fern Farms Ltd has joined fellow South Island-based meat company Alliance Group in reporting a big loss for the past year.
SFF released its full-year results to Dec 31, 2023, last week, reporting a $24.4 million loss – with revenue down nearly $500m to $2.78 billion.
It compares to 2022’s net profit of $189.3m with revenue of $3.27b. Meanwhile, Silver Fern Farms Co-operative, which jointly owns Silver Fern Farms Ltd with Chineseowned Shanghai Maling Aquarius, also posted a loss of $10.7m over the 12-month period.
Neither the main company nor the co-op will pay a dividend for the year. Silver Fern Farms is NZ’s largest meat processor, killing sheep, beef and venison at 14 plants nationwide.
It blames the loss mainly on red meat prices, particularly lamb – which has been under significant pressure – due to a weak market in China and Australian product flooding markets.
SFF chair Rob Hewett said “depressed” consumer confidence across its key markets had pressured its customers, the operating company, and “ultimately, returns for our farmer suppliers.”
Hewett added that while it was disappointing not to be in a position to pay dividend this year, he is confident in the company’s ability to recover when market conditions become more favourable.
Alliance Group reported a loss of just over $70m in its financial year to Sept 30, 2023.
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.
Ravensdown's next evolution in smart farming technology, HawkEye Pro, was awarded the Technology Section Award at the Southern Field Days Farm Innovation Awards in February 2026.
While mariners may recognise a “dog watch” as a two-hour shift on a ship, the Good Dog Work Watch is quite a different concept and the clever creation of Southland siblings Grace (9) and Archer Brown (7), both pupils at Riverton Primary School.
Philip and Lyneyre Hooper of the Hoopman Family Trust have tonight been named the Taranaki Regional Supreme Winners at the Ballance Farm Environment Awards.
We are not a bunch of sky cowboys. That was one of the key messages from the chairperson of the NZ Agricultural Aviation Association (NZAAA) Kent Weir, speaking at an education day at Feilding aerodrome for 25 policymakers and regulators from central and local government and other rural professionals.
New Zealand's dairy and beef industries say they welcome the announcement that the Government will invest $10.49 million in the Dairy Beef Opportunities (DBO) programme.

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