Top wool advocate bales out
The conversion of productive farmland into trees has pretty much annihilated the wool industry.
The wool market was generally down this week due to a combination of strained exporter cash flows, slower demand and a slightly stronger dollar, New Zealand Wool Services International's general manager, John Dawson says.
The Auckland port dispute further impacted on exporter cash flows with some deferred shipping due to lack of containers.
South Island price levels have now come more into line with their North Island counterparts.
The weighted indicator for the main trading currencies compared to the last sale on the March 22 was marginally stronger by 0.5%.
Compared with last week's South Island sale Crossbred Fleece was generally up to 5% cheaper, Early Shorn Second Shear 2.5% cheaper and Short Length Second Shear 2.5 to 5% cheaper. Lambs were up to 3% cheaper. Oddments were 2.5 to 5% cheaper. Compared with last week's North Island sale prices were generally firm with the exception of Lambs which are still 1% above North Island values.
The next sale on the April 4 comprises approximately 12,000 bales of North Island wool.
The Government is set to announce two new acts to replace the contentious Resource Management Act (RMA) with the Prime Minister hinting that consents required by farmers could reduce by 46%.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says withdrawing from the Paris Agreement on climate change would be “a really dumb move”.
The University of Waikato has broken ground on its new medical school building.
Undoubtedly the doyen of rural culture, always with a wry smile, our favourite ginger ninja, Te Radar, in conjunction with his wife Ruth Spencer, has recently released an enchanting, yet educational read centred around rural New Zealand in one hundred objects.
Farmers are being urged to keep on top of measures to control Cysticerus ovis - or sheep measles - following a spike in infection rates.
The avocado industry is facing an extremely challenging season with all parts of the supply chain, especially growers, being warned to prepare for any eventuality.

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