Farms
Clock ticking for farmers trapped by cyclone to move stock
The clock is ticking for farmers who need to get stock off their land of ahead winter, but cannot because cyclone damage has them penned in.
Some small rural communities are still completely cut off… Video, Audio
Innovation in keeping track of farm data
Pōrangahau farmer Gretchen King talks to Kathryn about the development of a software programme that makes it easy for farmers to record information. The Cloud Farmer App clears the way to discarding… Audio, Gallery
The move to getting married on weekdays
More and more couples are tapping into a trend of choosing weekdays for their weddings. Kay Gregory is one of New Zealand's best known marriage celebrants. She says roughly 75% of her bookings are now… Audio
1 in 3 sheep and beef farms to forestry
Beef and Lamb New Zealand is calling for limits on carbon offsetting as new research reveals over a third of sheep and beef farms sold have gone into carbon-only titles. Beef and Lamb NZ has… Audio
M.bovis: inhumane and traumatising - new study
A study of the psycho-social impact of M.bovis on Southland's rural communities had found the Government's response was bureaucratic, inhumane and traumatising to farmers. The University of Otago… Audio
The benefits of on-farm 'design plantings'
The good pollination deeds of bees on the farm is well known, but up until now there's been little study of other insect species and what role they play in crop pollination. As agriculture intensifies… Audio
3MM: Sara Walton on 'the next normal'
Three Minutes Max, succinct opinions from Kiwis on topics of their choice. Associate Professor Sara Walton from Otago University's Business School shares her thoughts on the 'next normal' and building… Audio
Vegans and the people who hate them
Earlier this year, two pro-meat protesters skinned and ate raw squirrels in front of members of the public at a vegan food stand in Soho. Inspired by the event, food writer George Reynolds set out to… Audio
Calling Home: Rod Snowdon in Giessen, Germany
Professor Rod Snowdon was only meant to be heading to Germany for a short while when he first arrived in 1993, but circumstances changed, and over a quarter of a century later he remains based in… Audio
'We're preferring potatoes' to urban sprawl - David Parker
Pitting potatoes against property - that's how the government's proposal to protect highly productive farm land from being subdivided or used for urban expansion has been described.
The Environment… Video, Audio
Garden bacteria can combat anxiety and depression
Professor Chris Lowry from Colorado University is part of a team of scientists who have uncovered a bacteria found in soil which can help combat anxiety and depression. Audio
Dr Nick Munn: technology raising ethical questions in farming
Rapid advances in technology on farms are creating ethical dilemmas for farmers. Dr Nick Munn from Waikato University says there are big ethical implications in using hi-tech tools to help on a farm.
…North Otago calves confirmed to have had M bovis
A North Otago farmer who lost her farm after having to deal with a mystery illness has had it confirmed her calves that year had Mycoplasma bovis. Video, Audio
22,000 cattle infected with Mycoplasma bovis to be culled
The Minister of Agriculture and Biosecurity Damien O'Connor says it's necessary to cull the cattle to stop the possibility of the disease spreading from the infected-farms which are all connected to… Audio
Canterbury land can't be farmed due to earthquake
Tourism, native planting, and bee keeping are all possibilities a community lead working group is waiting on government funding to explore. Video, Audio
Farms on Taieri Plains still submerged four days after deluge
Stress levels are high for Otago farmers with flood waters still yet to subside. RNZ reporter Tom Furley went to talk to some of them today. Audio
Quake-hit North Canterbury farmers in need of accomodation
Many farmers' homes have been red-stickered after the Kaikoura earthquake, but they say they can't leave because their farms aren't just their homes, they're their livelihoods Video, Audio
Land wars site touted as golf resort
A heritage organisation and Maori are warning a Taranaki farmer who is touting a property steeped in New Zealand history as a potential Palm Springs-style golf resort to tread carefully. Audio
Foreigners continue to invest heavily in NZ farms
Foreigners have been snapping up dairy farms in Canterbury, Otago and Southland, as debt-laden farmers cut their losses and leave.