By Rick Powdrell is Federated Farmers Meat & Fibre chairperson

ELEVEN POST-HARVEST operators including one representing five companies have written an open letter to the Prime Minister opposing the $885 million 'The Kiwifruit Claim' class action.

NATHAN GUY has retained the Primary Industries portfolio in Prime Minister John Key's Cabinet reshuffle for the National Government's third term.

THE TRANS Pacific Partnership will be a hot topic when the members of the Five Nations Beef Alliance get together in Texas this week.

ONE OF New Zealand's top businessmen and long-time leader in the dairy industry, Sir Dryden Thomas Spring, will receive the University of Waikato's most prestigious award of Honorary Doctorate at the graduation ceremony October 22.

YOUNG FARMERS around the country are dusting off their red bands and sharpening their toolkits as the 2015 season of the ANZ Young Farmer Contest begins with District Finals this weekend.

THE EAST of the North Island could be warmer than usual through October–December and the southwest and east of the South Island may be cooler, says NIWA.

THE NORTH Island sale saw wool prices continue their upward trend, New Zealand Wool Services International Ltd's general manager, John Dawson reports.

ALL THE SIGNS suggest a prolonged period of low international dairy prices will be required to soak up the current global market surplus, says Rabobank in its latest Dairy Quarterly report.

TATUA MEMBERS of Federated Farmers are welcoming an all time record payout by a New Zealand milk processor at $9 per kilogram of milk solids (kg/MS) for the 2013/14 season.