Central Rural Life

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Latest documents

• Shed restored to mark 100 years

  Mayfield’s milestone is almost here.

• Barker’s completes new factory

  South Canterbury company Barker’s has completed its new jam, juice and sauce factory near Geraldine in the first stage of a nearly $60 million expansion project.

• Water resilience key for 2026

  It was encouraging to end 2025 on a high for the food and fibre sector, Irrigation New Zealand chief executive Karen Williams says.

• AI firm making research accessible

  CHRISTCHURCH tech company Custom D is lining up overseas clients for Caitlyn — an AI platform stopping vital research and business data from sitting idle.

• Summer strategies for dairy farms

  Late summer strategies in dairy farming involve continuous monitoring of feed demand and body condition score (BCS).

• Stopping 3G: what irrigators need to know

  Preparation for the end of 3G technology needs to get under way if it is not already, Irrigation New Zealand chief executive Karen Williams says.

• Innovative project aims to cut emissions

  The Cool Sheep® Programme’s goal is to reduce methane emissions in New Zealand’s national sheep flock through genetic selection.

• Long lactation study in new phase

  After two years exploring extended lactation to reduce peak workload and non-replacement calves, the Extended Lactation project has added a commercial farm alongside the existing farmlet trial.

• NZ’s largest pig farm up for sale

  THE nation’s largest pig farm is being sold after being developed into a major North Canterbury employer and business by a family over 25-plus years.

• Changes at Irrigation New Zealand

  Irrigation New Zealand farewelled long-standing chairwoman Keri Johnston and board directors Emma Crutchley and Mark Pizey at its recent annual general meeting in Christchurch.

Featured documents

• Introducing predators in a bid to save New Zealand’s crops from weevils

  AgResearch emeritus scientist Stephen Goldson and his team are looking for more wins after taking on an elusive project to tame evil weevils, writes Tim Cronshaw....

• ‘Many small wins’ over long career

  An arable leader will miss a working relationship with growers ranging from immensely rewarding to frustrating....

• Call to tackle needle grass early

  Chilean needle grass (Nassella neesiana) is known to have taken hold in Hawke’s Bay, Marlborough and Canterbury....

• Water capture solutions key

  Much of the rainfall that drenched the country this winter was wasted by not being captured, Irrigation New Zealand chief executive Vanessa Winning says....

• DairyNZ calls for biosecurity changes

  DairyNZ is calling for a more integrated and sustainably funded biosecurity system as part of changes to the Biosecurity Act 1993....

• Farm strikes effective balance between profitability, lifestyle

  Raised on a flat farm in Rangiora and grateful to his parents for a rural upbringing, latecomer Ian Knowles has taken a circular route to farm ownership....

• No gripes about fate

  A Canterbury believer in back-to-basics farming takes pride in being a farm system scientist, writes Tim Cronshaw....

• Passion for coloured wool started long career

  If Stuart Albrey’s life was a book divided into chapters then a good number of them would be committed to farming and coloured sheep....

• From sniper to share farmer

  As a sniper for Brazil’s specialist forces Alan Robson da Veiga learned the art of patience and this has paid off many times over in dairy farming....

• Perendale pioneer awarded life membership

  Perendale breeders from throughout New Zealand converged on Queenstown last week for their annual conference. Rural editor Sally Rae headed to West Otago and caught up with them during a tour of two stud properties....