Fonterra unveils third major investment
Fonterra is investing $150 million on a new cool store at its Whareroa site in Taranaki.
Rural News Group, publishers of Rural News, Dairy News and New Zealand Winegrower, has a new-look website featuring more regular news updates and encouraging greater online interaction with our readers.
Developed over several months with the help of external developer Jeremy Warne, the redesign has a more modern look which will be familiar to many readers of online news, says Rural News online editor Emily Gordon.
Changes to the site include a single home page that combines stories from the company’s three major publications Rural News, Dairy News and New Zealand Winegrower, Gordon says.
“In its previous version, the publications each operated as individual sub-sites, with little crossover between them. However, while the new site has maintained this division to some extent, visitors can now also choose to access the latest content in one central place, making browsing easier.
“Other improvements include the addition of sections not previously available online such as sidebars dedicated to the Rural News ‘Hound’, and the Dairy News ‘Milking It’ columns.”
The new site also has an events calendar for the rural community. The calendar is located on each page of the site down the right side, informing about upcoming conferences, field days and other events nationwide.
People wishing to list their rural events on the website can email details to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
For advertisers, there are some improvements too, with several more ad spaces now available and a single location in which to download media-kits.
Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ) has released its 2026 election manifesto, outlining priorities to support the sector’s growth, resilience, and contribution to New Zealand’s food security and export revenue.
Farmers have voted to continue the Milksolids Levy that funds DairyNZ.
Fonterra chief executive Miles Hurrell has resigned after eight years in the role.
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.

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