Russia's ban on imported agricultural products, including dairy products, is due to end in December 2017, boosting global dairy prices, says an industry report.

Farmers must start figuring how to reduce cow numbers without losing farm production or profit.

Ten meat plants have begun a six-month trial of sending chilled beef and sheep meat to China, says Meat Industry Association chief executive Tim Ritchie.

Chinese dairy consumers are increasingly turning to higher value added or premium dairy products, says Sandy Chen, Rabobank’s senior dairy and beverages analyst for Asia.

Demand to get into the avocado industry is exceeding the supply of trees, says the chair of the Avocado Growers Association.

Having 60% of the nation’s wool exports going to China and continuing to sell wool as a commodity has left us exposed, says Wools of NZ chairman Mark Shadbolt.

Fonterra winning the Supreme Award at the 2017 ExportNZ Awards for Auckland and Waikato is recognition that the co-op’s product innovation is meeting customer expectations, says chairman John Wilson.

Never take your eye off the food safety ‘ball’, and maintain and build on the New Zealand image, a Shanghai dairy analyst advises.

While it is New Zealand’s preference to have the US in the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), there is still value in the agreement without the US, says lead negotiator Martin Harvey.

Long-term independent director David Jackson will retire from Fonterra’s board in November.