ANYTHING GOOD for Australia is in the long run good for New Zealand. That’s the reaction of Trade Minister Tim Groser to the news that Australia has signed a free trade agreement with China, and to speculation that their FTA with China is better than NZ’s, especially regarding dairy products.

South Canterbury farmer and former Federated Farmers Meat and Wool chair Miles Anderson was recently elected in a landslide as Waitaki's new MP.

Rural services trader PGG Wrightson (PGW) says its gross earnings this financial year will be lower than last year.

A message to dairy farmers - be patient with China and things will come right.

Former Tatua chief executive Paul McGilvary has been appointed acting chair of troubled milk processor Synlait. McGilvary’s appointment follows the sudden resignation of chair Simon Robertson last week.

Beef + Lamb New Zealand warns that the country's meat producers face another tough year as demand for sheep and beef recovers slightly, but not enough to outweigh increases in on-farm costs.

Dairy

'El Nino has officially arrived.’

The worst of the current dairy price cycle may be over, claims Westpac senior agricultural economist Nathan Penny.

Global dairy prices are clawing back lost ground and farmers may need to thank the weather gods for this.