Canterbury Milk processor Synlait has suffered a 76% drop in half-year net profit as it battles Covid-related volatility and rising dairy prices.

Red meat exports have returned to pre-Covid status, with China regaining the mantle of the biggest market.

Red meat exports have returned to pre-Covid status, with China regaining the mantle of the biggest market.

OPINION: A mate of Milking It recently opined that Ag Minister Damien O'Connor is a sitter for the moniker 'Minister of Foot in Mouth Disease' after yet another clumsy public statement.

With an enforced absence of two years, brought about by its cancellation in 2020, the Central District Field Days at Feilding heralded the first event of its type for 2021.

Chinese-owned Westland Milk Products is ramping production of butter.

Traditionally blind spots caused by large buckets or front mounted loads on wheeled loaders have been a major safety concern.

A few weeks ago, Richard Wyeth took over as chief executive of Yili-owned Westland Milk Products and says his first impressions of the company and its people are positive.

Dean Nikora is a successful dairy farmer and former winner of the prestigious Ahuwhenua Award for the top Maori dairy farmer of the year. 

Market research organisation Wine Intelligence looks into the future each year and makes quite specific predictions. They have scored a high hit rate in the past. Here are their five predictions for 2021.  Wine volumes will decline and spend per bottle will rise – though this may be largely due to rising alcohol taxes. Taxes on alcohol are a popular way for governments to re-charge the coffers drained by Covid-19. I would add that Australian wine producers will be seeking alternative markets after China, their biggest market, placed restrictive taxes on Australian wine. New Zealand is an obvious target. Alternative packaging formats will make serious inroads into the traditional glass bottle market. Bag-in-box and cans have a smaller carbon footprint than bottles, which could become a victim of measures to battle climate change. Wineries will forge more meaningful and lasting direct relationships with their consumer bases, but wine tourism will take a long time to recover. The pandemic has motivated producers to ramp up their online sales to good effect. The momentum is expected to continue, albeit at a slower pace. Cellar door visitors will continue to be depleted until borders are opened. The surge in online retail usage will…