Farmer royalty will gather this month to acknowledge the best breeding brains, and bulls, in the country.

USING BREEDING values as part of your bull buying strategy could add thousands of dollars to the bottom line of your business – but only if you, or your agent, understand the principals and, crucially, financial implications.

THE RURAL real estate market is seeing a sustained recovery in turnover and price, judging by the latest figures from the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand.

UPPER CLUTHA A&P Show continues to grow, riding a wave of popularity built on good old-fashioned country fun.

EXPORT COMMODITY prices, already down 9% on a mid-2011 peak, are tipped to slip further in the coming months as Europe deteriorates and Asian growth slows, says Westpac's latest economic outlook report.

Federated Farmers is calling time on independent processors already receiving Fonterra milk.

Wool used to account for more than a quarter of New Zealand's export earnings – now it is less than 2%. But lamb, hogget and mutton are earning nearly $3 billion dollars a year for the country.