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.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand Western North Island farmer director Kirsten Bryant has been elected unopposed.
An election will be held in the Central South Island with candidates, John Gregan of Timaru and Bill Wright of Cave, being nominated for one farmer director position.
Voting papers to farmers in the Central South Island will be posted on February 5 and will need to be returned by Election Day on Friday, March 18.
Electionz.com is conducting the election on behalf of Beef + Lamb New Zealand and all enquiries should be directed to the returning officer, Warwick Lampp 0800 666 030.
To be eligible to vote farmers must be on the Beef + Lamb New Zealand electoral roll and they need to have owned livestock on June 30, 2015 - at least 250 sheep, or 50 beef cattle, or 100 dairy cattle.
The chair of Beef + Lamb NZ, Kate Acland says the rush appears to be on to purchase farms and convert them to forestry before new rules limiting this come into effect.
New Zealand farmers will face higher urea prices this year, mainly on the back of tight global supply and a weak Kiwi dollar.
Andy Caughey of Wool Impact says a lot of people in NZ have been saying it's crazy that we are not using natural fibres in our buildings and houses.
Former chief executive of Beef+Lamb New Zealand Scott Champion will head the Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) from July.
Avian flu getting into New Zealand's poultry industry is the biosecurity threat that is most worrying for Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard.
The annual domestic utilisation of wool will double to 30,000 tonnes because of the edict that government agencies should use woollen fibre products in the construction of new and refurbished buildings.