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Solar farming is a fast-growing part of New Zealand’s energy sector and could be an opportunity for farmers to diversify their income. A Massey University presentation at AgInnovation explored the possibilities for solar farming to co-exist with sheep grazing, providing two sources of income per unit of land area, and crunched the numbers on the returns. Words Rebecca Greaves.

When the summer dry dents milk production on the unirrigated river flats, a solar farm on the upper terrace is making good use of the sun’s rays for a Golden Bay family. Words Anne Hardie.

Vigilant analysis, strategic decisions and sacrifices are behind the success of Waikato dairy farmers Dan and Gina Duncan. Words Sheryl Haitana.

Trying to achieve a successful succession story can be difficult for the younger generation who may feel they have no control over the decisions being made.

Another pasture species could provide valuable reductions in nitrogen loss with calls for more research into the potential of tetraploid hybrid ryegrass. Words Anne Lee.

As the days get a little duller and the nights a little longer, this recipe is what you need to bring a little colour back into the kitchen and the kids’ lunch boxes. I know the kids will want to get involved with this easy bake. Let them choose the colour of the jelly and see what they create!

Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s long-term Dairy Beef Progeny Test is entering a new phase which involves more farms and a new approach to identifying opportunities offered by superior dairy beef. Words Sandra Taylor.

Recently Frances Coles has noticed a concerning trend with a number of businesses closely related to farming making redundancies and losing experienced people from their teams.

An investment in new irrigation infrastructure will hopefully save Hamish Hammond thousands of dollars.

Europe is massive in milk. Producing about 150 million metric tonnes of product a year, it’s a huge consumer of its own goods and also the world’s biggest exporter. Fonterra’s European headquarters in the Netherlands manages the co-op’s European sales and customer relationships. Words Tim Fulton.

Canterbury growers are developing a market for maize grain in the South Island. Words Heather Chalmers.

At Longbeach Estate in coastal Mid Canterbury, reminders of its proud pioneering farming history sit alongside the latest in agricultural practices and technology. Words Heather Chalmers.

As we head into the latter part of the 2024–25 New Zealand dairy season, it’s safe to say things are in a notably improved position compared with where they were this time last year. Words Rosalind Crickett.

Kellogg Report – The Future of Genetic Technologies in New Zealand Agriculture: Balancing Innovation and Risk. Words Lisa Lunn.

If we glance at China’s dairy market in recent years and understand the situation of the largest dairy importer on the earth at the beginning of 2025, we can get some idea of what happened in China and how that will affect the global market in the new year. Words Carey Yu.