National Pledges QEII Funding Boost to Support Farm Conservation
Money invested to protect native bush, wetlands and other special habitats on farms is paying huge dividends.
OPINION: Your old mate hears that at a recent China Business Summit, PM Christopher Luxon delivered a none-too-subtle "could try harder" report card on the red meat industry regarding its exports to China - particularly when compared to Australia.
Aussie PM Anthony Albanese was visiting China at the time.
When asked, "What's our point of difference [with the Aussies]?" our PM responded, "Well we're just better than the Australians, let's be clear. We don't lose to Australians ever at home or abroad."
He then opined that the red meat sector needs to "do a better job in our marketing story relative to the Australians than what they have been doing".
Perhaps aware some of the red meat leaders were in the room, he added that Nathan Guy (MIA) and SFF had done exactly that with the launch of Taste Pure Nature.
Politicians calling for New Zealand to withdraw from the Paris Agreement on climate risk damaging two of our gold-plated free trade deals.
Tickets are now available for the 2026 Arable Awards, set to be held in Christchurch on 20th August.
Environment Southland is calling on residents to be vigilant and check their properties after a new Old Man's Beard site was discovered near Dipton.
Amelia Marsden has secured the 2026 Nelson Young Grower title for the second year running, earning another opportunity to represent the region at the national Young Grower of the Year competition later this year.
Federated Farmers is urging the Government to put a halt to Waikato Regional Council's controversial Plan Change 1 (PC1), warning the regulations will impose significant costs, complexity and duplication on thousands of farmers while major national reforms remain unresolved.
Joshua Irving has been named the 2026 Ormond Nurseries North Canterbury Young Viticulturist of the Year.

OPINION: Central Hawke's Bay farmer Mark Warren recently told the Hawke's Bay Times it's time for a conversation about allowing…
OPINION: A nation that relies as heavily as NZ does on functional global shipping lanes will have to do its…