Farming & Rural

The winners of the 2024 Southland/Otago Dairy Industry Awards Share Farmer of the Year category say dairy farming is in their DNA, with endless opportunities for growth. Cameron Smith and Nicole Hanning-Smith were announced winners of the region’s Share Farmer of the Year category at a dinner at Inv

Mataura shearer Brett Roberts scored his first Open final win in over a year with victory at the Mayfield A and P Show in Mid-Canterbury on Saturday. Roberts, 30, hadn’t won since the national full wool championship final at the Northern Southland Community Shears (Lumsden) in January 2023. That was

Southland shearer Leon Samuels became the first South Islander to win the Golden Shears Open shearing title in 35 years in a dramatic six-man final of 20 sheep each in Masterton on Saturday night. The winner of the New Zealand Shears Open final in Te Kuiti last April and thus a member of the New […]

Fonterra has announced a strategic move to merge its New Zealand (FBNZ) and Australia operations, creating a unified entity named Fonterra Oceania. This announcement, made on 19 February via a New Zealand Exchange filing, marks a significant shift in the dairy co-operative’s approach to the trans-Ta

One hundred and thirty invited guests were on hand on Saturday as the MP for Invercargill, Penny Simmonds assisted by Southland District Mayor Rob Scott, cut the ribbon to open the Thornbury Vintage Tractor & Implement Club’s new exhibition of Southland’s Farming History. In keeping with the occasio

Groundswell NZ will continue to be a watchdog for farmers around the country and is waiting to see what unfolds in the first 100 days that the National Party is in power. Co-founder Bryce McKenzie spoke on a podcast recently saying that its relationship with Federated Farmers was stronger than ever,

A 29-year-old sheep, beef and arable farmer is one step closer to taking out one of New Zealand’s most prestigious farming awards after being crowned the Season 56 Otago Southland FMG Young Farmer of the Year. Zac Thomas was announced as the Otago Southland FMG Young Farmer of the Year on Saturday e

New Zealand’s southern most rodeo event is happening at Sandy Point this weekend, with an expected crowd of around 3000. Southland Rodeo is part of a southern circuit, following events in Lawrence, Outram, Mataura, Wanaka and Millers Flat, and concluding with Ranfurly at the end of the month. The cl