Drones have become increasingly popular in agriculture and horticulture over the last decade, whether taking aerial photographs of a property, checking water lines or in some cases even mustering stock. Machinery editor Mark Daniel takes a closer look at the developments in this area...

Effective and accurate drenching is important for animal health and productivity. It needs strategic decision making and should be part of a parasite management plan.

Farmers in Hawke's Bay have now experienced two successive years of bad droughts, which has stretched their farm management skills to the limit. Watching this and working with farmers to mitigate the problems are two experienced AgFirst farm consultants based in Hastings - Lochie MacGillivray and Phil Tither. They talked with reporter Peter Burke about what they have seen and what works best.

Central Otago had "a tricky little vintage", says James Dicey of Grape Vision.

Swapping microscopes in the neuroscience lab for microscopes in the barrel hall was not exactly a considered pathway for Dr John Harris and Dr Marilyn Duxson.

"Vineyard work wasn't my thing," says Debbie Sparks, looking back at her first impressions of pruning in North Canterbury.

Finding excellent crops on Greystone's hillside vineyards was "great, but also gutting", says winemaker Dom Maxwell.

OPINION: Farmers are being herded into a very dangerous crush.

Dairy Global dairy spot markets, for the most part, have been stuck in neutral through May.

New Zealand meat producers will have to change their breeding priorities to take a full advantage of a new optical meat quality monitoring system being developed by AgResearch.