In this episode, Louise Cook, Fonterra’s Environment Programme Lead for On-Farm Excellence, unpacks how farmers boost efficiency while cutting emissions in a major industry project showing farmers can cut greenhouse gas emissions and nitrogen surplus without sacrificing profitability. She explains the practices that lift efficiency with homegrown feed utilisation is the standout lever, and how top farms turn the same inputs into far stronger outputs.

What’s driving smarter, more strategic weaning decisions?

In this episode, Andrew Dowling, Technical Expert - Animal Production at PGG Wrightson, breaks down how to avoid costly weaning checks, and the practical steps farmers can take to keep lambs tracking forward while protecting ewe condition for their next tupping.

What are the key drivers behind New Zealand’s 47% reduction in antibiotic sales?

In this episode, Dr Annabel Harris, Chair of the NZVA’s Antimicrobial Resistance Committee explains how cross-industry collaboration and learnings internationally have helped shape on-farm practice of antibiotic use to protect New Zealand farmers from the threat of antibiotic resistance.

Read CountryWide Summer 2026 online here. CountryWide is New Zealand’s only dedicated farmers and growers magazine, available on subscription.

Born and raised in farming communities in the Waikato, Saskatchewan arable farmer, Sean Case, shares the contrast where farming liquid gold is very different.

Heavy rain events provide an opportunity for farmers to record where water is flowing across farms and if mitigation action is needed. Words Heather Chalmers, Photos Abie Horrocks.

A groundbreaking new sheep trial is set to find the link between lamb survival rates and flock resilience by delving into the crucial role of ewes as ‘good mums’ aiming to significantly impact the country’s sheep sector. Words Sarah Perriam-Lampp.

Taking a bird’s eye view is bringing a level of accuracy to a range of on-farm practices, allowing precise plant counts for crops such as fodder beet and giving pinpoint positioning of disease issues. Words Anne Lee.

Data is providing some good news for dairy farmers and it’s a win-win for profit and the environment. Words Anne Lee.