OPINION: Rural New Zealand has been taking some very big hits of late. The latest of these, the closure of Alliance’s Smithfield plant at Timaru, is yet another blow for the heartland – the engine room of the economy.

Farmers and scientists are using the latest technology to measure how efficiently New Zealand beef cattle convert feed into liveweight and their greenhouse gas emissions in a cutting- edge trial on a North Canterbury farm.

Fonterra farmers have a message for their co-operative - they need to see consistently strong performance in both payout and returns from share ownership.

The horticulture sector is punching above its weight when it comes to export revenue, according to Westpac industry analyst Paul Clark.

A game changer and a huge boost for farmer confidence.

Good news for New Zealand dairy farmers – whole milk and skim milk powder prices rose in the overnight Global Dairy Trade (GDT) auction.

Could there finally be positive news for the red meat sector after a period of challenging economic conditions?

The downturn in China continues to impact New Zealand’s red meat exports.

Could blemish-free fruit and vegetables be a thing of the past?

Dairy