‘SHE’LL BE right’ attitudes may be changing, but New Zealand farms remain hazardous places to work – 15 work-related deaths last year, and 408 serious injuries.

VISITORS AT the Canterbury Ballance Farm Environment Awards’ 2012  supreme winner’s field day last month may well have felt somewhat ‘blown away’, in more ways than one.

A SUGGESTION in Rural News’ sister paper Dairy News that calf rearers should blood test to check colostrum intake has some merit, but needs refining, says specialist calf vet, Bas Schouten.

THE HEAD of China’s largest dairy company says Fonterra’s false botulism scare underscores the importance of food safety.

FEDERATED FARMERS Dairy chairman Willie Leferink says he can understand Japanese dairy farmers’ opposition to free trade.

WANGANUI GARDEN CENTRE assistant Kelly Jean Kerr (pictured) wins 2013 Young Horticulturist of the Year and second place getter Wellington collections specialist Eliza Whalley also wins the AGMARDT Market Innovation Project.

HORTICULTURE NEW ZEALAND believes this country's ability to control regional biosecurity risk is woeful and there are few signs of any willingness to improve.

ZELDA DE VILLIERS, currently managing director of DeLaval NZ, will be the Dairy Women's Network's new chief executive.

DAIRYNZ CHAIRMAN John Luxton believes there is “genuineness” at Japanese government level about being part of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP). And this is useful in that it will encourage the US to take a more holistic view of the proposal.

FONTERRA DIRECTOR John Monaghan, who has made himself available for a director’s position with meat cooperative Alliance, isn’t ruling out staying on with both cooperatives should Alliance’s board appoint him.