Dairy giant yesterday revealed its latest payout forecast, dealing a blow to individual farmers, and the wider economy.

Much of the available loans it will offer will likely pass straight to banks to meet debt-servicing costs, writes Fran O'Sullivan.

$4.55 swing in forecast milk price paid to farmers over two seasons shows there's something wrong with NZ's dairy model, says Landcorp Farming CEO Steve Carden.

The country's biggest exporter has lowered its price from a previous forecast of $5.25 following sharp falls in whole milk powder prices.

Paparimu dairy farmer Craig Maxwell says farmers are worried about the survival of their farms.

A drop in the price of milk on supermarket shelves could be in store for New Zealanders - but not anytime soon, says supermarket chain Countdown.

Fonterra is expected to announce a sharp reduction in its farmgate milk price today.

Dairy farm prices are likely to fall this spring as the sector faces the prospect of two successive years of sub-par payouts, says the ANZ Bank

DairyNZ says New Zealand milk production is expected to fall by 2 or 3 per cent this season as farmers focus on improving the efficiency of their farming systems.

Fonterra chairman John Wilson's verbal sharp-shooting skills were put to good effect at the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) ministerial negotiations in Maui.

The retreat in export commodity prices turned into a rout last month. ANZ's commodity price index fell 11.2 per cent, its steepest monthly decline, to a six-year low.

About one thousand meatworkers at eight Affco plants in the North Island have voted to strike for two days.

The ANZ Commodity Price Index for July fell 11.2 per cent to the lowest level since October 2009.

Cow effluent charges against two Marlborough farmers have been proven.

Fonterra's board will meet on Friday to review the farmgate milk price.

Our fruit trade has become a heavy hitter as an export, helping to at least partly offset weakness in the dairy and forest products sectors.

Fonterra says it sets itself high environmental standards despite being fined $362,000 in two separate prosecutions for Resource Management Act breaches.

Court proceedings have been filed against PGG Wrightson and Elders New Zealand for alleged price fixing.

Fonterra's has copped some flak for its performance, but chief executive Theo Spierings says the co-operative dairy giant would not deviate from its current course.

As milk prices fall, farmers keep waiting for the cycle to turn. But what if Fonterra's problems are longer term, asks Jamie Gray.

Westland will decide on its final 2014/15 payout in September.

Is Fonterra on the right track? Or is it time for Plan B? Plan B would result in the company being split into a basic commodity player focused on growing the milk price.

As the 12-nation trade deal negotiations enter the final stretch, Mr Key said New Zealand was gaining some support on its demands for the dairy industry.

Playing the TPP soft cop cannot be allowed to blind Groser and his senior negotiators to NZ's own interests.

International investors from Europe, the United States and Australia are likely to consider buying more New Zealand dairy farms, says an expert.

As Fonterra's NZX-listed units languish near an all-time low, analysts say the market will remain cool on the dairy giant.

Concentrating on marketing its cuts rather than processing them is paying dividends for a niche meat exporter.

Fonterra Co-operative Group has put on hold plans to develop an Equity Partnership Trust that would have given its 10,500 farmer suppliers access to investor capital to help them with the compulsory....

Germany is the largest export market for New Zealand onions, followed by Indonesia and Japan.

Pressure is building on Fonterra chief executive Theo Spierings as the dairy industry faces up to a winter of discontent, writes Liam Dann.