DROUGHT RAVAGED dairy farmers should not expect immediate respite when the rain arrives.

ABOUT 20 calls a day are being received by the Waikato Rural Support Trust, mostly from young farmers concerned about their financial position.

Protest meetings in Victoria and South Australia, further planned demonstrations and a direct meeting have all left Federal Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig unmoved.

THE THREAT of climate change to global agriculture will be the focus of an international conference in the United States this month.

THE 2013 year started with reasonable optimism. Dairy production was tracking nicely and dairy prices took off. For sheep there was hope that new Asian demand for lamb and wool would bring a move in the right direction. Meanwhile, the US drought last year meant demand for our beef, grains and produce were looking healthy. 

DROUGHT BEHAVIOUR renders deeply questionable the concept of co-operative companies being for the benefit and fair treatment of shareholders.

EVER HEARD people talk about their “BHAG”?

ANOTHER WEEK, another suite of big nights for North Island dairy farmers as the annual awards season gets into full swing.

A HILL farm in the west, and a 5000ha station in the east are the latest winners in the annual round of regional Ballance Farm Environment Awards.

The future of New Zealand's horticulture industry could rest with finalists in the 2013 Young Horticulturist of the Year contest.