BNZ Launches First Farm Funding Boost Scheme
Bank of New Zealand (BNZ)will expand its First Farm support with a new funding boost designed to help more farmers and growers take their next step into farm ownership.
OPINION: Your old mate can’t believe the gall of the NZ big banks crying about their ‘reduced’ profitability this year.
First out of the blocks was ANZ, shedding crocodile tears about how “tough things” had been in the past year and how it had only managed to make a profit of $1.825 billion for the year to September 30 on its NZ business -- an 8% drop on 2018.
The next big Aussie bank to publish its result was Westpac, with its NZ arm reporting a 3% lift in net profit to $964m, from $936m last year.
But this didn’t stop its $2.5m-a-year NZ boss decrying how business conditions had “deteriorated” in the second half of the reporting period, based largely on uncertainty about the outlook for next year.
Your canine crusader would be interested to know just how ANZ and Westpac are currently treating their rural/farming clients and how ‘tough’ they are making it for them.
Forestry Minister Todd McClay has today congratulated the winners of the 2026 Growing Native Forests Champions Awards at Fieldays.
The Government has announced $60,000 to provide one-off grants of $1,000 to each of the 60 New Zealand Young Farmers (NZYF) clubs across the country.
New Zealand’s rural sector has once again demonstrated its generosity, with the second Rural Industry Leaders Dinner, Debate and Auction raising an impressive $400,000 for the Rural Support Trust.
There has been another twist to the Federated Farmers annual election fiasco.
Analysis of decades of research has revealed the implementation of good farming practices plays a critical role in reducing nutrient losses to improve freshwater outcomes.
Yesterday the Government used the opening of Fieldays to announce a major investment, as part of its Land Use Flexibility package, to support a more productive and sustainable future across six sectors including dairy.

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