Rural and farming news

'Neighbours thought I was a bit abnormal': Farmer's planting idea pays off

Snow Chubb started planting trees for his cows 30 years ago, 'it was just common sense'.

Safer Rides scheme driving change in quad bike safety

More than 130 farm businesses installed safety bars through the scheme.

What Fonterra's $4.2b Mainland deal means for its farmers and future

Each farmer stands to gain about $400,000 from the capital return.

Farmers give green light to Fonterra's sale of consumer business to Lactalis

Mainland's sale will mean a $2 per share capital return for Fonterra's farmers.

The Country: Peters v Fonterra with Barry Soper

Chris Brandolino, Mark de Lautour, Tim Dangen, Rachel Shearer, Hamish McKay, Barry Soper.

The Country: Miles Hurrell on Fonterra sale

Miles Hurrell, Emma Poole, Dr Jacqueline Rowarth, Mark Copeland, and Chris Russell.

Jacqueline Rowarth: Feeding people v emissions targets - context is everything

OPINION: Leaders at the UN meeting stressed feeding people must come before emissions.

Timbersports world champ Jack Jordon on The Country

Jamie Mackay's guests include Todd Charteris, Tracy Brown, Hunter McGregor and Jack Jordon

Tech is key on this Tirau dairy farm

'We’re all on the same page - we want robotics to milk the cows for us.'

'Better animal all round': New dairy-beef breed raised in Taupō

About 350 Synergizer calves have been born on a Pāmu farm near Taupō.

‘A powerful tool’: New tech helps growers save fruit and labour

Trials of the Tagga showed labour time dropped 35%, saving 44 hours on a 1ha block.

Wood-fired future: Bioenergy sector eyes green energy boom

Woody biomass from forestry or wood processing could be turned into bioenergy.

What Fonterra's $4.2b Mainland deal means for its farmers and future

Each farmer stands to gain about $400,000 from the capital return.

Halter replaces 30 towers after storm hits virtual farm fencing network

About 70 South Island farms lost service after last week’s wild storms.

Farmers give green light to Fonterra's sale of consumer business to Lactalis

Mainland's sale will mean a $2 per share capital return for Fonterra's farmers.

What will farmers spend their $200,000 each on if Fonterra sale goes through?

'It’s not going to all go on gold-plated utes and tractors.'

This community garden is cultivating more than just plants

Marton Community Garden is a place to connect, share ideas and work together.

This calf club for 'townies' has been running for almost 40 years

Janet Macky remembers every child who has joined her club, and many have stayed in touch.

'I love them to pieces': Keeping the Clydesdale spirit alive

With 750 registered, Clydesdales in New Zealand are regarded as an “at-risk” breed.

Couple’s long road to a new beginning

The Dodds' Te Puke block includes a truffière and 3.5ha of protected native bush.

Rural nurses race to lift measles vaccination rates as outbreak grows

Only 72% of Māori under the age of 5 are vaccinated against measles.

Farmers give green light to Fonterra's sale of consumer business to Lactalis

Mainland's sale will mean a $2 per share capital return for Fonterra's farmers.

'Opportunistic criminals' target rural Taranaki properties

Fuel, farm tools and quad bikes are among the items most often stolen.

How Northland’s artisan butchers are making sausages the new BBQ staple

Beef and lamb prices are up 30%, pushing more Kiwis to choose sausages.