Ah Tatua, You've Done It Again!
Waikato milk processor Tatua has again declared a record milk payout to farmer shareholders, leaving other processors in the dust.
Speaking of Fonterra, the Hound received a curt note from a failed board candidate in last year's election...
The note was 'thanking' this old mutt for helping publicise his run as a director in 2014 – claiming it helped lift his profile (what do they say about all publicity being good publicity?). Anyway, the said column referred to a lack of talent among the challengers last year and described the talent pool of potential directors as being "as shallow as the puddle out the back of the Hound's kennel". Anyhow, the said failed candidate claims, "Got to say though that you did lament the caliber [sic] (or lack of) in the challenging pack last year. Surely now with the untrained lot hoping to get onto a sinking lid board this will make last year's lot look like rocket scientists". The Hound reckons his newest 'fan' does make a fair point!
Beef + Lamb NZ funded research has shown that some simple changes to pasture management could help farmers make better use of rainfall and build resilience before dry conditions hit.
OPINION: There could hardly be a more appropriate theme for a conference than the one chosen by the red meat sector - Navigating Volatility.
When Northland leather worker Vernon Suckling started making horse saddles 50 years ago, quad bikes and side-by-side vehicles were unheard of.
Alliance Group has confirmed that eligible farmer-shareholders who supply and continue to back the business will receive up to $20 million later this year, following the strategic investment partnership with Dawn Meats.
With a general election under five weeks away, Rural News is asking major political parties about their policies and positions on key issues facing the primary sector. We will run their responses to each question over the next four weeks. The ACT Party and the Greens didn't respond in time.
Entries opened on Monday, 5 October 2026 for the 2027 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards (NZDIA), which organisers describe as the nation's biggest celebration of excellence in the dairy sector.

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