Top wool advocate bales out
The conversion of productive farmland into trees has pretty much annihilated the wool industry.
OPINION: A mate of yours truly has been getting quotes for new carpet in the lounge and, being a good keen man, he was looking first at wool carpet.
"Let's have wool!" he said.
He was duly quoted for "medium-quality wool carpet", $104 per square metre plus install costs.
"The carpet salesman took great delight in telling us that there are 48 ounces of wool per square yard. That's roughly 1.3kg of wool per square metre."
Based on current average crossbred prices of about $3.00/kg, our good keen man reckons the farmer's getting a bit under $4 per square metre for that $104 piece of carpet.
"Looks like wool farmers are being 'fleeced' - that's a hell of a mark up!" he said.
A recently held arable field day in the Manawatu brought with it a timely reminder to be on the lookout for velvetleaf incursions.
In a significant shift for employers, wage theft is no longer only a civil matter but now also a criminal one.
In partnership with Growing Future Farmers (GFF), Fonterra says it is increasing support for young people entering the dairy industry with a new two-year programme.
OPINION: The Government needs to act now to address consenting issues faced by farmers throughout the country.
NZ First leader Winston Peters has continued his criticism of Fonterra to sell its brand business to the French company Lactalis, saying the move is "utter madness".
When it comes to international trade, politicians from all sides of the aisle are united, says Labour's trade spokesman Damien O'Connor.

OPINION: Every time politicians come up with an investment scheme where they're going to have a crack at 'picking winners'…
OPINION: What are the unions for these days?