A former placegetter in the Canterbury/North Otago region Dairy Industry Awards has come back to take out the top title this year.

Rachel Foy's interest in dairying started when, as a 12-year-old, she started relief milking during her school holidays.

Having got throught the ravages of PSA, kiwifruit production has bounced back delivering record harvests and record prices for orchards.

Probably better known in the viticulture sector, Tractor Repairs and Spares (TRS) is now expanding into the horticulture area - with a focus on apple - after purchasing the FMR business in late 2020.

Feeder specialists Hustler has released a maxi-sized multi-feeder aimed at large scale farms in New Zealand and further afield.

Hawke's Bay hill country farmers Evan and Linda Potter have been named national ambassadors for sustainable farming and the recipients of the Gordon Stephenson Trophy.

Lemken's smart iQblue connect for TIM (tractor implement management) has recently been certified by the independent Agricultural Industry Electronics Foundation (AEF).

An agronomist is warning that unusually high insect pressure has seen spring-sown crops take a real hiding in some regions this season.

The 2021 Auckland/Hauraki dairy manager of the year Stephanie Walker says the dairy industry awards competition has provided her with invaluable networking.

OPINION: Former NZ agriculture and trade minister, and ex-High Commissioner to the UK, Lockwood Smith, was the only non-UK member of the UK Trade & Agriculture Commission (TAC), which was tasked by Secretary of State for International Trade, Liz Truss, to look at finding a way forward of Britain supporting trade liberalisation, while ensuring UK standards are not undermined.