Farmer David Hunt has spoken out about his battle with mental illness in a bid to raise awareness of the warning signs for depression in rural communities.

Chinese billionaire Jiang Zhaobai, who now owns the Crafar dairy farming empire, is back in New Zealand forging a relationship with Maori.

Primary industries generate over 70 per cent of New Zealand's merchandise exports.

The average farming wage is higher than for the country as a whole and living costs in rural areas are lower.

Maori-controlled, with a Vietnamese connection, one of the country's newest dairy companies does things a little bit differently from the big boys, discovers Jamie Gray.

Join us at noon today for a live chat with Federated Farmers president Bruce Wills. You can send in your questions now.

New data out shortly could show if the severe drought is having an effect on farm sales but one expert believes farmers' general spending will be hit harder than volumes or prices of property deals.

Farmers throughout the North Island continue to hope for rain as the big dry bites hard, making conditions for some worse than the 2008 drought.

Two professional weather forecasters got close to predicting the record hot, dry summer, but a "motivational astrologer" was adrift.

That wonderful quote in our English history should be changed in New Zealand to: 'Water, water everywhere and not a drop is saved!'

Farmers need to adapt for a drier future as events like the 'once-in-a-lifetime' drought become closer to the norm.

Slaughterman Kent Sambells' workload was "hectic" last week as Waikato farmers called him in to destroy ailing cattle and take them away for processing into pet food.

Sheep and beef farm profits are predicted to halve this season, as the full impact of current lamb prices and drought kick in, Beef and Lamb New Zealand says.

An important fertiliser aid has been culled from farmers' chemical shopping lists after it turned up in milk products destined for human consumption.

A trial involving five parties linked to the running of Crafar Farms who face hundreds of charges between them of animal abuse has been postponed.

As 2012 draws to a close there is no such thing as the "good old days" when it comes to water use in town or country.

Fonterra's Trading Among Farmers (TAF) share trading scheme received its final, albeit retrospective, seal of approval at the annual meeting yesterday.