Official declaration that the South Island’s drought is a medium-scale adverse event has been widely welcomed by farmers and their representatives.

Now that drought has been declared by the Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy, Inland Revenue says it will exercise discretion towards affected farmers.

Three Massey science and agriculture students have been working with the Horizons Regional Council as part of the council’s Sustainable Land Use Initiative (SLUI) scholarship.

The small township of Hawarden in North Canterbury had a significant boost to its population on Friday 13 February when 400 people crowded the local hall for the Lincoln University Foundation’s South Island Farmer of the Year winner’s field day.

Fonterra has commissioned its first wholly owned and operated ingredients plant in Europe.

The two new trustees appointed to the New Zealand Farm Environment (NZFE) Trust bring plenty of experience and enthusiasm to the table.

Central Otago’s Chard Farm Winery is celebrating 25 years on the farm later this month with a VIP wine tasting, birthday party and a family-friendly locals’ Open Day.

LIC has recorded a solid performance in the first half of the financial year. In the six months to 30 November 2014, the co-op achieved revenue of $159 million, 17.7% higher than the same period last year.

The Global Dairy Trade price jump of 9.4% last week was at the top end or bigger than predictions by economists and part of a continued upward swing.

Three more dairy companies – Miraka, Open Country and Westland – are reporting milk flows dipping as dry weather starts to affect grass growth and production, despite reasonable rain in many places in the past week.