Rural life, and agriculture is driven by changing seasons that dictate on-farm tasks and operations and busy times can mean pressure on owners or employees.

With winter approaching, Taranaki hill country farmers must remember the importance of soil stabilisation measures like poplar poles, and take action accordingly.

The rural sector needs to focus more on mental wellness and look at developing simple self-diagnostic tools, says a South Island professional development coach, Loshni Manikam.

So it's official – we now have a drought in large parts of the country: no surprise to most of us in the rural sector. 

The wet season currently affecting the southern part of the country is leaving many rural contractors and farmers under financial pressure, claims Rural Contractors NZ.