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Goats get a bad rap as feral pests and are often remembered as a fledgling industry that went bust in the 80s. But the tide has turned and New Zealand Cashmere believes there has never been a better time to diversify into cashmere and integrate goats into farming systems in New Zealand. Words Rebecca Greaves.

Are farmers doing enough on methane? Methane from Kiwi farms accounts for more than a third of the country’s greenhouse emissions. But exactly how this gas contributes to global warming and to what extent it should reduce is complex. As our methane targets look set to be overhauled, George Driver investigates how the gas heats the planet and how low our emissions should go. Words George Driver.

Body condition score is the biggest driver at Simon and Katie Falloon’s Tiraumea farm, Waipuke, with a high performing ewe flock of exceptionally fertile ewes underpinning outstanding financial performance to take out this year’s Keinzley Agvet Wairarapa Sheep & Beef Farm Business of the Year. Words Rebecca Greaves Photos Photos for Jean.

The deregulation of transport in New Zealand in the 1980s was the significant opportunity Philip Wareing used to grow his business rapidly. Before then, livestock were transported long distances by train. Words Sarah Perriam-Lampp

Photos Rebecca Williams Photographer.

Read Country-Wide Spring 2024 online here. Country-Wide is New Zealand’s only dedicated pastoral and arable farming magazine, available on subscription.

As nitrogen fertilisers are a substantial expense on arable farms, growers are looking to incorporate short-term cover crops and legumes as a way to provide an alternative home-grown nitrogen source to the usual bagged supply. Words Heather Chalmers

One of the hot topics at the Red Meat Sector Conference this week was the recently enacted EU deforestation regulation, and how this will impact New Zealand meat exporters. Rebecca Greaves talks to farmer and Special Agricultural Trade Envoy for New Zealand, Hamish Marr, and lawyer Sarah Salmond, about this and more - including negotiating the minefield of Non Tariff Barriers (NTBs) and whether we should join forces with the Aussies.
Then hear from McDonald’s New Zealand's Simon Kenny about what they’re doing to get ahead of the game when it comes to sustainability, meeting their climate obligations and goals with their beef suppliers.

Farm succession is something that affects every farming family at some point - whether it be from parent to child, or outside the family unit, there are many ways to approach it, and definitely no silver bullet.
Hear from three people who know succession’s in-and-outs best:, a farmer currently in the succession process; a rural banking expert; and a family succession planning consultant.

Plastic waste from farms isn’t just rubbish, it’s a resource. As a product stewardship scheme, Agrecovery doesn’t just collect your plastic farm waste, it cares about the products that plastic is turned into.