Stories by Alexa Cook
News
Fish and Game bans lead-based shot
Waterfowl can be poisoned if they eat lead-based shotgun ammunition, and the Fish and Game Council has voted to phase it out.
Dairy farmers warned of moving day pest risk
Dairy farmers are being warned to be careful not to spread pests and diseases as they move between farms next week.
Zespri more than doubles full-year profit
Zespri has more than doubled its full-year net profit despite a challenging season for green varieties of kiwifruit.
Higher milk pay-out puts $3.5bn into farmers' pockets - Fonterra
A pay-out of $6.15/kg of milk solids this season will give farmers an extra $3.5bn compared to last season, says Fonterra.
Govt flooding support missing the mark - BoP farmers
Bay of Plenty farmers are criticising the government's response to rural flooding from Cyclone Debbie.
Hops production in NZ slumps by 10 percent
New Zealand hop production is down by about 10 percent, at a time when a boom in craft beer breweries is pushing up demand.
Shrinking sector means more closures possible - Beef and Lamb NZ
A Silver Fern Farms shareholder says sheep farmers need more support and better prices otherwise plants will keep closing as farmers turn to more profitable land uses.
Kiwifruit sales to Japan up by almost a third in two seasons
Zespri's sales to Japan have grown by 30 percent in the past two seasons, with the Japanese kiwifruit market worth about $500 million last season.
Farmers spend $25 million a year to protect native lands
QEII National Trust covenanting landowners are together spending an estimated $25 million every year to protect native species, forests, and wetlands, a study has found.
NZ tea grower wins top award
New Zealand's sole commercial tea grower has won gold at the Global Tea Championships in the US.
National sheep numbers drop by 5%
A fall in sheep numbers is unsurprising and reflects the challenges farmers have faced in the last two years, Beef and Lamb New Zealand says.
Farmers 'dead keen' to improve water practices - council
A group of farmers near Whakatāne are working with the regional council to try and improve water quality by changing the way they farm.
UK supermarkets ban fresh NZ lamb
A decision by UK supermarkets to ban fresh New Zealand lamb is bad news for the industry and could turn consumers away from the meat, farmers say.
Changing Chinese fashions slam NZ wool market
The New Zealand wool market is being hit by a change in Chinese fashion to finer-fibre wools, New Zealand Wool Services International says.
Waikato farmer saves 800 goats from flooding
A Waikato dairy-goat farmer spent the weekend trying to save his 800 goats after floodwater surged over his land, washing out his only access road.
Waterways report misses key concerns - consultant
The Prime Minister's chief scientist has failed to address the real problems in his new water quality report, says an agribusiness consultant.
More rain coming - 'You don't know whether to laugh or cry'
A family who have had most of their farm destroyed by flooding in the small Bay of Plenty town of Waimana are now bracing for more heavy rain. Video, Audio
Fonterra encouraging winter milking
Fonterra is encouraging farmers who want to invest in their farming systems to milk cows through winter for the cooperative.
Flood leaves farm a swamp
A farmer on the banks of the bursting Rangitāiki River says the flood has ruined at least half of his farm, with water still flowing over his land.
Flooded Whakatane farm: 'We're all just stuck'
A farm stretching along the banks of the bursting Whakatane River is under water, a herd of 400 cows is stranded and a farm worker is cut off by floodwaters.
Third flood lucky: Whangaehu farming family dodge bullet
A couple whose farm near was badly damaged in the 2004 and 2015 Whanganui floods says better preparation means they've got off lightly this time around.
Illegal Zespri plantings in China spark investigation
Police are investigating a possible breach of Zespri's intellectual property rights after kiwifruit varieties were transferred and planted in China illegally.
Hundreds of farmers won't meet bobby calf laws
Hundreds of Taranaki dairy farmers won't comply with the new bobby calf laws by 1 August, because they have not had enough information on the changes, says Federated Farmers.
Quake-hit shearers: 'There's still no money coming through'
A shearing business in Waiau is struggling to find accommodation for staff, and says it feels like the rural sector is not getting enough help.
Cows could infect humans with different strain of leptospirosis
Infected dairy cows pose a risk to humans, a new study of Leptospirosis has found. Audio