Country-Wide August-September 2023

Rick and Shirley-Ann Mannering run an integrated sheep and beef farm and two dairy operations just south of Auckland and they’re making big strides to remove pests from their bush bordering the Hunua Ranges. By Glenys Christian.

In Central Otago, slugs attacked 45 hectares of high-value SovGold Ultrastrike-treated kale seedlings.

As the election nears, political parties are releasing their policies. Jo Cuttance looks at what the various parties are proposing for the agriculture sector – policies that will all have an impact on individual farming businesses and the entire sector.

With increasing costs and lower returns, the wash up of the 2022-23 season has seen a review of alternative cropping enterprises that have some synergy with sheep-dominant farming operations. By Simon Glennie.

Pollock's view.

Anyone new to New Zealand or observing us from afar could be forgiven for wondering what is happening with farming regulations here. Many farmers are struggling to keep up with the growing number of regulations, requirements, policies and promises. James Hoban summarises the most prominent changes and where they have got to on the policy conveyor belt.

Hemp product marketing and home farm maintenance kept Blair Drysdale busy on his Balfour farm this winter, and then came the Young Farmer finals.

Pastoral farmers tempted to grow cereals on their farms as a result of recent high prices are being urged to tread carefully as the market returns to a more normal demand and supply situation. By Glenys Christian.

Sri Lanka went organic, and that, coupled with other bad policy decisions, saw the country go into bankruptcy in 2022. Soil scientist Dr Jacqueline Rowarth says we can learn from Sri Lanka’s mistakes.

Not so long ago RPR was seen as the new fertiliser saviour, but science and experience has shown it to be less of a success than first predicted and promoted. By Dr Doug Edmeades.