NEW ZEALAND Wool Services International Ltd's marketing executive, Paul Steel says a volatile New Zealand currency during the auctions and restricted interest from some markets saw prices ease for the combined North and South Island auctions.

NEW ZEALAND leads the way in encouraging and recognising women's leadership in agriculture, says Dairy Women's Network chairwoman Michelle Wilson. 

FONTERRA CHAIRMAN John Wilson visited Fonterra's new $126 million UHT milk processing site at Waitoa on the weekend.

A2 IS planning to launch into the North American fresh milk market. It launched in China in November and is growing in Australia and the UK.

THE MINISTRY for Primary Industry (MPI) will look “quite different” as a result of an “alignment process” that started last week, says the new chief executive, Martyn Dunne.

THE YEAR IS shaping up to be “intriguing” for the global dairy market with China the “wildcard”, says Rabobank.  

DESPITE A STRENGTHENING NZ dollar and a larger weekly offering of wool, the market was generally firm to dearer, says New Zealand Wool Services International Ltd's general manager, John Dawson.

NZ PRIME MINISTER John Key will discuss the Government's inquiry into Fonterra false-alarm food safety scare last year with top leaders when he visits China this month.

MOVE OVER New Zealand milkpowder, here come the avocados.

WORLD FOOD prices fell for the first time in three months in January despite the dizzy heights of the dairy market and a recent rally in grains.