Major shakeup for the NZ science system
The government has announced a major restructuring of the country's seven crown research institutes (CRIs), which will see them merged into three public research organisations (PROs).
Metservice meteorologist James Millward says the country’s weather patterns are now on a much more even footing.
He says that will give farmers more certainty as to where they are and where they are going.
Millward told Rural News that up until now, the weather has been going through something of a transitional period and the full effect of the El Nino weather pattern is likely to kick in during the coming weeks.
He says this will bring some higher pressures across the North Island, resulting in prolonged dry summer weather.
Millwards adds, the good news for farmers is that conditions will be more typical, unlike last year’s weird, wet weather.
He says, at present, the North Island is drying out and in terms of soil moisture the country is not far away from where it would normally be.
He says the exception is southern Wairarapa, which is particularly dry. But he adds that the expected early dry has not eventuated, with rain falling in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay and the possibility of further rains depending on what might happen with weather systems in the tropics.
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.
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