Let the games begin!
New Zealand's largest celebration of rural sports athletes and enthusiasts – New Zealand Rural Games - is back for its 10th edition, kicking off in Palmerston North from Thursday, March 6th to Sunday, March 9th, 2025.
The last day of an agricultural show which saw more than half a million visitors had to be cancelled due to Covid-19.
Salon International de l'Agriculture's (International Agricultural Show) final day on Sunday, March 1 was dropped due to fears of the virus.
The cancellation follows French health minister’s Olivier Véran announcement on Saturday that all gatherings of more than 5,000 people in confined spaces are banned across the country.
The ban extends for events in open environments where people may mix with others from areas where the virus is circulating.
Organisers announced on the event’s website, “Following the decision of the government and health authorities, any gathering of more than 5000 people is forbidden.
“The International Agricultural Show will end on Saturday 29th February at 7pm and will not open tomorrow, following the recommendations and decisions of the public authorities.”
This year’s theme at the International Agricultural Show, originally scheduled to run from 22 February to March 1, was “agriculture welcomes you with open arms”.
The event took place at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles and hosted more than a thousand exhibitors.
As of today, France has seen 201 cases of Covid-19 and four deaths.
Among the regular exhibitors at last month’s South Island Agricultural Field Days, the one that arguably takes the most intensive preparation every time is the PGG Wrightson Seeds site.
Two high producing Canterbury dairy farmers are moving to blended stockfeed supplements fed in-shed for a number of reasons, not the least of which is to boost protein levels, which they can’t achieve through pasture under the region’s nitrogen limit of 190kg/ha.
Buoyed by strong forecasts for milk prices and a renewed demand for dairy assets, the South Island rural real estate market has begun the year with positive momentum, according to Colliers.
The six young cattle breeders participating in the inaugural Holstein Friesian NZ young breeder development programme have completed their first event of the year.
New Zealand feed producers are being encouraged to boost staff training to maintain efficiency and product quality.
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