Master of Wine Tim Hanni didn’t hold back during his session on food and wine pairing. Instead he let rip with a range of statements that had many attending nodding in agreement.

The Hound notes that former Meat Industry Excellence (MIE) member Mark Patterson is now trying to use the same anti-Chinese sentiment the failed group used to oppose the takeover by Yili of Westland Milk.

New Zealand has been better than Australia at capitalising on the market for boutique foods, according to a top Australian scientist.

Lamb prices have held up at much stronger levels than expected, says ANZ’s agricultural economist Susan Kilsby.

New Zealand buyers of quads and side x sides now have a wider choice with the arrival of the Chinese brand Hisun.

Ravensdown's ClearTech dairy effluent treatment system has won first prize in the South Island Agricultural Field Days’ Agri-Innovation Awards.

Hamilton dairy biotech company Quantec has won the top award at the annual Natural Health Products NZ awards for the second year running.

Dairy farmers can be “cautiously optimistic” that current forecasts will hold, but it will depend on the global economy, says ANZ agriculture economist Susan Kilsby.

Slowing economic activity in China isn’t affecting that nation’s appetite for dairy products.

The Fonterra board’s thinking is focused on value rather than volume as it meets regularly to thrash out its new strategy, director Brent Goldsack says.