Mike ChapmanNZKGI Chief Executive Earlier this year, Horticulture New Zealand refreshed its strategic plan and developed a new vision: ‘Healthy food for all forever’. Implicit in this new vision is the concept of intergenerational sustainability...... Read More

Financewith Don Fraser Fraser Farm Finance Given that I am semi-retired, still as busy as ever, and given that I see and hear a lot about life, I thought I should traverse some of the key issues around passive income. It is tough enough giving...... Read More

Beneath the surfacewith David Lawof Forward Farming I felt honoured to be included in a group of 11 farmers and advisers who recently converged on the South Island for a week-long study tour. Our purpose was to observe better management systems...... Read More

Bill WebbFeed SolutionsOutlook To say this spring has been challenging for everyone involved in agriculture in the Bay of Plenty and Waikato is an understatement. Between September and early-October there were 36 days of rain with only two-and-a-half...... Read More

Robin BoomAgronomic Advisory Services It’s interesting the conversations one can have in a single day. I’ve just returned from a field day organised by the Auckland branch of the NZ Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Science...... Read More

Mike ChapmanNZKGI Chief Executive One of Horticulture New Zealand’s jobs in Wellington is to keep an eye out for what new rules and laws the Government is producing and, when necessary, represent the views of our growers to advise or influence...... Read More

Mike ChapmanNZKGI Chief Executive Last month I was able to see first-hand the potential for New Zealand’s fruit and vegetable exports to Asia during a week in Hong Kong that included attending Asia Fruit Logistica. This is an enormous expo,...... Read More

Beneath the surfacewith David Lawof Forward Farming The passing of the Waikato Healthy Rivers Plan will instil new fear to farmers to change the way they manage their farms in the future. Farmers, of course, will be angry the bureaucracy of regional...... Read More

Stock Sensewith Paul McKeeRavensdown Technical Manager Seasonal patterns in worm populations will see ostertagia numbers peaking on our pastures in the late autumn-early winter period. Cattle grazing these pastures through winter in turn can acquire...... Read More

Robin BoomAgronomic Advisory Services ‘Grand-parenting’ is a term used for environmental benchmarking of properties using the Overseer Nutrient Budget programme to determine how much nitrogen has been leached or lost historically from...... Read More

Bill WebbFeed SolutionsOutlook A lift in the 2016/2017 forecast farm gate milk price by 50c, increasing the price to $5.25 per kilogram of milk solids has also lifted farmers’ spirits. Let’s hope it continues to strengthen into the...... Read More

Financewith Don Fraser Fraser Farm Finance Given that I am semi-retired, still as busy as ever, and given that I see and hear a lot about life, I thought I should traverse some of the key issues around passive income. It is tough enough giving...... Read More

Vet’s VisionPhil RennieTauranga Vets Leptospirosis remains a serious threat to the health and livelihood of farmers. While control of lepto in New Zealand dairy cattle has improved markedly thanks to widespread vaccination, evidence remains...... Read More

With daylight saving returning we are advised to use sun protection during peak UV hours from 10am-4pm to reduce our risk of sunburn and skin cancer. We also know we need sunlight to make vitamin D in our skin. Vitamin D is important in maintaining bone...... Read More

Brent TrailManaging DirectorSurveying Services Ltd Farmers have always been good at protecting land and now they are getting some recognition in terms of subdivision concessions, identifying that protection of ecological and cultural features provides...... Read More

Stock Sensewith Paul McKeeRavensdown Technical Manager Successful farmers always have an eye on the future, remembering that decisions made today will have not only have an impact this year – but in years to come. Pre-weaning nutrition for...... Read More

Vet’s VisionPhil RennieTauranga Vets Submission rates have a large impact on how mating tracks. This spring will be no different, with much focus being made on optimising the number of cows mated early in the mating period. Key drivers of...... Read More

Brett PetersenKiwi Fertiliser and Golden Bay Dolomite There are many phosphate products on the market and each one has different qualities. At Kiwi Fertiliser, we search the globe for quality products. As far as phosphate is concerned, our choice...... Read More

Mike ChapmanHorticulture NZ CEO How to do you grow your horticulture business? One answer is by exporting. The formula for success, however, is more complicated than just exporting. The current growth in value for many horticultural products comes...... Read More