Special Report

From data-driven decision making to environmental monitoring and compliance, Richard and Annabelle Subtil have reaped the rewards of lucrative supply contracts by being able to prove any claim while maintaining traditional high-country values. Words Sarah Perriam-Lampp Photos Elle Perriam

We improved horsepower by fuelling it with diesel rather than hay. We mechanised blade-shearing and hand-milking with electricity in the woolshed and milking shed. Every advancement in farming history has resulted in a productivity gain from a new source. The next shift is fully connected farms.

Richard McIntyre’s mobile phone runs hot with calls from farmers who are keen to share their war stories about how they have been treated by their bank. Words Tony Leggett.

Arable farming in Rangitikei runs deep in the Nitschke family history. Tony Leggett investigates what is behind a phase of rapid expansion for the family’s grain business and what lies ahead. Photos Brad Hanson.

There is a strong correlation between on-farm performance and emissions intensity. A panel at the New Zealand Agriculture & Climate Change Conference 2024 discussed market drivers for agricultural emissions reduction – how are financial institutions influencing climate change actions by farmers? Words Rebecca Greaves.

The days of farmers arriving at a meeting with their bank manager with little more than an idea and expecting to work up a bankable proposition are long over. Tony Leggett investigates how to succeed in the new era in banking.

Pathways to farm ownership and, equally, farm succession planning have long been meaty issues the agricultural sector has battled to address. Landify is a new online platform that could be a game changer for those on both sides of the equation. Words Rebecca Greaves.

Entering into a farming partnership is a big decision and it’s important to ensure it’s the right fit for you and your family. We ask three rural professionals for their advice around building strong partnerships that achieve good outcomes for all parties.

With the right people and the right business structures, equity partnerships can be a win–win for all parties. They can allow retiring farmers to remain on their farm and in their community while offering a young family the opportunity to realise their farming goals. They can also allow established farmers to partner with investors to grow a land-based business. Sandra Taylor talks to three Mid-Canterbury farmers who are part of two successful, but very different equity partnerships.

Words Chris Coughlan, Partner, Rural Coach.