Farming & Rural

Fonterra has announced that Chief Executive Officer Miles Hurrell will step down after a 25-year career with the co-operative, including eight years in the top role. Chair Peter McBride said Hurrell’s leadership since 2018 had played a key role in improving the organisation’s financial position and restoring confidence

Federated Farmers say controversial new requirements for every farmer in Gore to have resource consents assessed against Ngāi Tahu cultural values are excessive and unworkable. "Creating a parallel approval process will just increase cost, complexity, uncertainty and delays," the organisation’s Southland president Jason Herrick says. "It’

Renowned as the day when country comes to town, the 2026 Southland A & P Show is preparing to welcome thousands of visitors to Donovan Park this Saturday 7 March. Now in its 156th year, the event continues to honour the rural traditions that have long shaped Southland’s identity.

In a region known for resilience, hard work, and strong community ties, a new network is proving rural women in business are thriving. The Western Women’s Business Collective (WWBC) is bringing together entrepreneurs from across Western Southland, creating a supportive space where connection replaces isolation. Founded by Michelle Anderson

Southern District Police are urging rural residents in Clutha and Gore to remain alert following a rise in burglaries across farming areas. Several incidents are currently under investigation in the heart of Southland, where offenders have been targeting fuel supplies and valuable farm equipment. Police say the recent spike has

Fonterra Co-operative Group Ltd has lifted its forecast Farmgate Milk Price for the 2025/26 season, increasing the midpoint from $9.00 per kgMS to $9.50 per kgMS. The forecast range has also been raised and narrowed, moving from $8.50-$9.50 per kgMS to $9.20-$9.

Southern Field Days has once again transformed 56 hectares of farmland at Waimumu, near Gore, into a bustling “tent city,” showcasing the latest in rural innovation, technology and community spirit. Committee chairman Steve Henderson said the event is driven by a passionate group of 23 volunteers from the local Young

Southern Field Days is back at Waimumu from 11–13 February 2026, bringing three days of innovation, competition, machinery, rural pride and classic crowd favourites. From the ever-popular Tractor Pull and Speed Shear to national-level fencing competitions, mud buggy demonstrations and National Lamb Day celebrations, there’s something happening across