CountryWide Winter 2026

Hard work and talent, paired with innovation, technology and connectivity, has seen the May Brothers in Methven grow more than they expected. John Deere equipment and technology has been at the heart of this growth. Words Sarah Perriam-Lampp.

For Nic and Kirsty Verhoek, running a high-input dairy system that performs, without burning out your people or drowning in feed complexity, has been a mix of hard data, disciplined simplicity and a ruthless focus on people and cow welfare. Words Sarah Perriam-Lampp.

Ground breaking pastoral research at Lincoln University, supported by the T.R. Ellett Agricultural Research Trust, investigates ways farmers can improve animal and pasture production and consequently their economic and environmental outcomes. Words Sarah Perriam-Lampp.

At Whanganui Collegiate, boarding delivers an academic advantage, providing students with 24/7 pastoral care, tech-integrated facilities and a vibrant community that builds future-ready independence. Words Lucinda Diack.

PGG Wrightson marks a milestone that stretches from New Zealand’s earliest coastal trading days to today’s digitally enabled rural services network. Words Sarah Perriam-Lampp.

Hawke’s Bay farmer and stud breeder, Ben Dawson, won the Bioeconomy Science Institute Emerging Achiever Award at this year’s Beef + Lamb New Zealand Awards held in Christchurch on 20 May 2026. He won ahead of the two other finalists, Graham Johnson and Alice Wilson. Words Sandra Taylor.

With a keen eye for innovation and a deep respect of the land, the team behind Kiwi Heights in Te Puke are successfully integrating kiwifruit orchards, drystock grazing and native forests as they balance profit and sustainability. Words Helena O’Neill, Photos Alan Gibson.

A Canterbury farming business has allowed their land to play to its strengths by investing in infrastructure to finetune their operation. Words Anne Lee, Photos Hamish Hobbs.

Three years ago, Jason Rentoul and Chelsea Hudson drew up a farm plan for Wye Hills in Marlborough based around their life goals. Words Joanna Grigg, Photos Jim Tannock.

New Zealand’s dairy sector cannot grow in the same way it has in the past. So what is the plan to increase the value of exports whilst improving dairy’s environmental footprint? Words Campbell Parker.