Nineteen per cent of Waikato farms have “grossly undersized” effluent storage and Waikato regional councillors have backed a plan aimed at bringing them in line. Council chair Alan Livingston says it’s the old 80/20 rule. “More...... Read More

To keep waterways clean, deer farmers are fencing their deer out of streams and taking measures to keep valuable soil where it belongs – on the farm, growing grass. Deer Industry New Zealand chair Dr Ian Walker says deer love playing in water...... Read More

A young man from the South Waikato has found himself leading one of the most interesting advances in farming technology in recent years. Craig Piggott, aged 23, is the founder CEO of Halter, an Auckland-based company that has developed ground-breaking...... Read More

Calving is one of the most stressful and busy times of year on a dairy farm. And while calf-health comes first – farmers and farm managers also have to think of the wellbeing of their staff. So here’s few tips from Coast and Country News...... Read More

Planning, planning and more planning is the key to a smooth and stress-free calving, according to DairyNZ animal care team manager Helen Thoday. “Ensuring the entire farm team is working to the same plan will help calving be less stressful,”...... Read More

The Government and the University of Waikato are investing $13 million in a new research programme in Tauranga to help tackle some of the biggest issues facing New Zealand’s primary sector, says Education Minister Chris Hipkins. The project,...... Read More

The New Zealand avocado industry’s draft result for the 2017-2018 season is $150m in sales, with $105m from export markets and $45m from the New Zealand market. The result has been achieved from 3.8m trays – just 50 per cent of the production...... Read More

Quality fruit and record amounts of it – with strong demand from international markets – is how Zespri chief executive Dan Mathieson described this year’s kiwifruit harvest at a media gathering at Fieldays. But with the harvest finishing...... Read More

Fieldays-goers got to see a one-of-a kind tractor, which is put to work at New Zealand’s only commercial tea estate, at Mystery Creek this year. The Waikato-based Zealong Tea Estate, which today has 1.2 million plants on 48 hectares at Gordonton,...... Read More

Twenty-eight-year-old Mairi Whittle has won the Rural Catch title at Fieldays 2018. Formerly known as Rural Bachelor of the Year, at this year’s 50th annual Fieldays bachelorettes joined the bachelors for the first time in the re-named Rural Catch...... Read More