Rural

News from the rural and farming sector. Audio

Young backpackers on bus tours are making a tangible difference in the struggling Bay of Plenty town of Murupara. Local tour operator Nadine Toe Toe's motto is 'Change a town through tourism'. Audio, Gallery

Laura Douglas has set up a tourism venture in Kingston that gives visitors to Queenstown the chance to experience a taste of the country-side. Audio

Blueberries, kiwiberries, boysenberries, loganberries... well, there might soon be another one to add to the mix – the snowberry. Trials are underway to see if there's potential for a commercial… Audio

Warm weather has blessed the North Island this week, and while the South Island's generally been lovely too, the temperatures are dipping quickly down south. Audio

Gold kiwifruit growers are making very  good money but grower David Jensen says a shortage of labour to harvest fruit won't be solved by simply increasing pay rates. Audio

Stray bus visits Murupara in Tuhoe country, Snowberries with Plant and Food, and Southern Girl in Kingston Central Otago, Kiwifruit grower David Jensen. Audio

An Ashburton farmer whose cows are affected by Mycoplasma bovis is experiencing firsthand the emotional impact of the disease. Frank Peters says his herd has been in his family for generations and he… Audio

Stressed farmers are turning on each other as officials struggle to contain the cattle disease Mycoplasma bovis. The number of farms under the shadow of the disease has exploded over the past week -… Audio

The spread of the cattle disease Mycoplasma bovis has taken off with 38 infected farms and another 40-considered likely to get infected and almost 300 affected in one way or another - also the disease… Audio

A Southland farmer is urging politicians on both sides to quit squabbling and take swift action to eradicate the cattle disease Mycoplasma bovis. Almost 300 farms are now under regulatory control… Audio

Thirty-eight farms are now infected with Mycoplasma bovis and another 100 are likely to be infected, making it a whole lot more challenging to eradicate, Biosecurity Minister Damien O'Connor says. Video, Audio