Those planning trip to the National Fieldays in Hamilton next month are being urged to get their plans in place now.

OPINION: The message was clear to Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor and other government ministers seated at the main table at this month’s New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards.

OPINION:The reception at the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards the following night in Hamilton was slightly less warm for Damien O'Connor.

OPINION: Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor doesn't get too many plaudits these days, but at this month's Ahuwhenua Awards he got one that took him by surprise and, he said, it was one of the nicest things anyone has said to him in a long time.

Farmers need to start now keeping accurate and detailed records of their fertiliser use to meet new pastoral nitrogen limits, says Ravensdown’s Phil Barlow.

DairyNZ says farmers are welcoming the establishment of a Workforce Development Council for people, food and fibre.

The man who has led the Ahuwhenua competition for the past fifteen years is bowing out.

Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor lavished praise on Tataiwhetu saying he had the privilege of attending the field day on their farm in April and saw for himself the work they have put into upgrading the property.

He's only been in the dairy industry for just over a year but that hasn’t stopped 26-year-old Quinn Morgan from taking out the Ahuwhenua Young Māori Dairy Farmer of the year award.

Tataiwhetu Trust, which runs an organic dairy farm in the Ruatoki Valley south of Whakatane, is the winner of this year’s prestigious Ahuwhenua Trophy for the top Māori dairy farm.