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New Zealand's iconic sheep-to-person ratio keeps falling
Sheep numbers continue to fall due to land conversion to forestry. New StatsNZ figures show the national flock dropped by 3 percent in the year to June 2023 to 24.4...
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Farmer fears plans for rural road will return area to 'Middle Ages'
2 May 2024Plans to replace a 6km stretch of sealed road at Tarata with gravel will put school children at risk, a farmer says.
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More exciting than Christmas: Regional NZ gears up for duck shooting season
9:49 am todayFarmers were preparing to cull crop-eating ducks off the farm ahead of the opening day for most regions on Saturday.
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Canada dairy trade dispute a 'betrayal of our friendship', ACT says
2 May 2024Trade Minister Todd McClay says New Zealand will not back down.
Country headlines with summaries.
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Integrated solar and agricultural farm planned for Rangitīkei
2 May 2024The 40 megawatt-peak farm is expected to generate electricity for about 7800 homes.
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Farmers disappointed as Alliance asks for help to raise capital
1 May 2024Sheep and beef farmer Greg Anderson says it is a "terrible time" for Alliance to ask, given struggles in the industry.
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Growth in farm worker salaries 'impressive' - Federated Farmers
30 Apr 2024Farm worker annual salaries have jumped $7480 on average in the past two years.
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Beef + Lamb NZ chief executive steps down
Sam McIvor is also giving up his role at the New Zealand Meat Board.
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Alliance asks farmers to help raise share capital in bid to stay farmer-owned
The red meat cooperative was profitable for nine out of the last 10 years - but last year, it reported a $70 million loss after tax.
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A&P board director paid $75k for landing $5m deal
26 Apr 2024The Canterbury A&P Association's board is keeping mum after it emerged one of their own received $75k to help secure a multimillion-dollar council bailout deal.
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Senior A&P figures hopeful of salvaging this year's NZ Agricultural Show
24 Apr 2024The future of the Christchurch show has been secured, but it remains to be seen whether the 2024 event can go ahead at this stage.
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Forest and Bird takes legal action over hunting agreement
Conservationists are butting heads about the best way to control Fiordland's wapiti elk populations, now the subject of a legal stoush.
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How NZ sheep are helping find a cure for Alzheimer's
27 Apr 2024A University of Auckland geneticist says sheep are ideal for testing drugs, due to their longer life span, complex brain structure and genetic similarity to humans.
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Wilding pine work 'will go backwards' with reduced funding
25 Apr 2024Land cleared of the pest plants is now "prime for re-infestation".
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Cattle fatally injured after stock truck rolls
24 Apr 2024A vet and some farmers helped out at the scene of the incident in central Hawke's Bay this morning.
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A&P show deal reached with Christchurch Council
24 Apr 2024Christchurch Council reaches deal over A&P show, but it's not clear if it will go ahead this year. Audio
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Mice cause chaos on ship carrying 1.2 million trays of Zespri kiwifruit
24 Apr 2024The company is working out how much of the $25m shipment - its first to Europe this season - has to be dumped.
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New import rules to avoid repeat of hepatitis A outbreak
23 Apr 2024Frozen berries coming into New Zealand will have to meet new import rules, in a bid to improve food safety.
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Mandarin prices fall due to soft demand
The quality is high this year but the price growers are being paid is lower, one grower says.
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International auditor to do more checks after damning East Coast report
22 Apr 2024An international forestry auditor has spoken out about a visit to the slash-damaged East Coast region last year.
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Which wild foods are safe to forage?
20 Apr 2024Christchurch conservationist Peter Langlands says his passion for foraging has turned him into an 'accidental botanist'. Audio
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'She's got everything you want in a cow'
Country Life - A 40-litres-of-milk-a-day Friesian called Evie has been Supreme Champion Holstein at the New Zealand A&P Agricultural Show for two years in a row. Audio
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Salmon farm goes green with tuk-tuks
A salmon farm says using electric tuk-tuks on its canals has been so successful, they are going to get more.
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One of the world's most invasive weeds discovered on Waikato farms
18 Apr 2024Velvetleaf can grow up to 2.5 metres tall, it has large, heart-shaped leaves with pointy tips and velvety hairs, and small, buttery yellow flowers.
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Dry weather a double-edged sword
A lack of rain on the North Island's East Coast may be good for the area's fruit and vegetable growers - but the dry is starting to bite for pastoral farmers.
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New Zealand A&P show cancelled for the year
17 Apr 2024Organisers of the show in Christchurch say it's not financially viable.
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The 'remarkably different' beer hops of Taranaki
17 Apr 2024A Taranaki brewer is excited about the distinctive flavour of beer made from hops grown in the region's hill country.
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Injuries from ram attack like being hit by a car - animal expert
20 Apr 2024After two people died this week in an apparent ram attack, New Zealand animal behaviour researcher says male farm animals can be dangerous - especially now, during breeding season.
