From Bruce Wills, president of Federated Farmers "The New Zealand wool industry is currently weak and fragmented to the point of being dysfunctional," writes Sandra Faulkner in her Nuffield Farming Scholarship report.

Farmgate prices for beef are heading south at present in both the North and the South Islands.

IF DROUGHT conditions continue next week, it’s ‘crunch time’ for decision-making on beef and dairy farms in Northland and Waikato.

WOOLS OF NZ chairman Mark Shadbolt says directors are confident the company will raise the $5 million minimum required by February 25 in its share offer to growers – and it aims for $10 million.

DAVID CARTER says his greatest achievement during four years as Minister for Primary Industry was bringing his cabinet and caucus colleagues to greater awareness of the importance of the agricultural sector to the country’s economy.

WHILE THE hot, dry weather that’s hit Hawkes Bay has caused grief to many sheep farmers, it’s been a bonus for wool.

YIELDS ARE good and headers ahead of schedule as cropping farmers reel in this year’s grass, cereal and small seed crops.

AUSTRALIA HAS often been called the lucky country, largely because ot its mineral wealth. But fresh water resources make New Zealand a far luckier country. Managed wisely, that resource will be available for generations to come.

START COOLING grain from the day it comes off the paddock to minimise risk of infestation or other problems down the track.

HOW DO you assess whether a paddock needs renewing? The Pasture Renewal Charitable Trust is encouraging use of a condition scoring system akin to those used to assess cattle or sheep.