Environment Canterbury urges buyers to check wastewater systems on rural properties
Buying or building a rural or semi-rural property? Make sure you know where the wastewater goes, says Environment Canterbury.
A mate of the Hound attended the huge meeting in Timaru, last month, on the Government’s proposed freshwater reforms. Hundreds of anxious farmers turned up to hear officials – as well as Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor and Environment Minister David Parker – discuss the topic.
He says meeting attendees were urged by the facilitator, Wairarapa sheep and beef farmer David Nelson, to be respectful and courteous and he says they were.
But our observer reckons both Parker and O’Connor seemed to have missed this memo and were, more often than not, antagonistic and dismissive of many of the questions and concerns raised from the floor.
He is unsure of exactly what the ministers were on that night but suggests that in future they both cut down on ‘angry pills’ before they attend any future farmer meetings.
Voting has started for the renewal of DairyNZ's milksolids levy.
The most successful catchment groups in NZ are those that have 'a source to sea' approach.
Associate Agriculture Minister and Manawatu dairy farmer Andrew Hoggard says the free trade agreement (FTA) negotiated with India is not a bad deal and his party, Act, will support it when it goes before Parliament.
Newly released data from Environment Canterbury (ECan) Farm Environment Plan (FEP) audits are showing a dramatic lift in environmental performance across the region.
A solid recovery of global dairy prices this year makes a $9.50/kgMS milk price almost a shoo-in for this season.
As New Zealand marks the United Nations’ International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026 (IYWF 2026), industry leaders are challenging the misconception that women only support farming.

OPINION: Here w go: the election date is set for November 7 and the politicians are out of the gate…
OPINION: ECan data was released a few days ago showing Canterbury farmers have made “giant strides on environmental performance”.