Recent rains are almost the last straw for sheep and beef farmers in Tairawhiti.

A $7-plus milk price for this season is almost locked in, claims ASB economist Nathaniel Keall.

It's now official, in the coming year the value of NZ's dairy, meat and forestry exports will be down significantly - with horticulture holding its own.

Synlait's majority shareholder Bright Dairy of China has thrown its support behind the Canterbury milk processor as it recovers from several years of poor run.

The search for a new chair for troubled Canterbury milk processor Synlait is progressing, says acting chair Paul McGilvary.

An improvement in global markets and a weak New Zealand dollar are behind the ANZ Bank's optimistic prediction of a $7.70/kgMS farmgate milk price for this season.

The recently released 2023 Lamb Crop Report from Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) suggests farmers have successfully navigated challenges to deliver a great lambing.

Purchasing about a third of global contracted volume on the GDT auction platform, Fonterra's authorised resellers in China are an important part of the co-operative's ingredients business.

Improved demand from China has helped push the forecast farmgate milk for the season by 25c.

Minister for Rural Communities Mark Patterson says live exports of animals is a $500m trade that the country cannot afford to do without.