No matter which government comes to power after the 2026 New Zealand general election, it may make little difference to farmers if the people speaking on their behalf are not getting it right. That is the view of Groundswell spokesperson Jamie McFadden, who says the biggest issue facing the sector is not just policy, but a growing disconnect between farmers, advocacy groups and government. “The biggest challenge is the disconnect,” McFadden said. “It’s a disconnect from the r

Kerry and Paul Harmer continue with riparian planting 560 carex secta plants within the Ashburton Lakes catchment on Sunday 22 March. Gathering science/facts has been an ongoing focus for the Ōtūwharekai Ashburton Lakes Catchment Group, we then use these facts to drive catchment-wide and on-farm management decisions to minimise our farming footprint. Our monthly water testing results of waterways travelling through our properties from several different sites show samples take

As with most parents, my mornings and life blood are fuelled by the beautiful brown elixir that is coffee. We even splurged on our own machine and our Covid panic buy was not extra toilet paper, but 20 kg of green beans and an at-home roaster. Owning a home coffee machine comes with both advantages and challenges. The water tank requires frequent refilling and it’s easy to overfill when in a rush. After one particularly sleepless night, I did exactly that, but instead of the

Ravensdown chief executive Garry Diack. Footrot Flats has been part of kiwi culture since it was created by Murray Ball in the 1970s. Supplied. After several tough seasons in the agriculture sector, there’s a sense things are finally turning, says Garry Diack, Ravensdown chief executive. “We’re a bit of a cork in the tide of farmer fortunes. When the fortunes are going well, so do we. The long-term outlook for sheep and beef has given a bit more confidence to the sales proces

A community gathering in the Greenstreet Hall to talk about the Ashburton River, hosted by Greenstreet Catchment Group. Across Mid Canterbury, catchment groups are getting on with the job of improving their natural environment, building resilience and strengthening community connections. One group in particular – the Greenstreet Catchment Group – has found its groove over the past year, demonstrating what is possible when local leadership is backed by consistent support from

Castle Ridge Station’s Paul and Kerry Harmer after being named Canterbury Regional Supreme Winners at the Ballance Farm Environment Awards. Supplied Castle Ridge Station’s Kerry Harmer says she and her family were “blown away” to be named the Canterbury Regional Supreme Winners at the Ballance Farm Environment Awards on March 5. “We were pretty overwhelmed,” she says. “We don’t really think we’re doing anything amazing. We just do what we think is right for us and for the pla

Over the past year, the Ashburton Forks Catchment Group has moved from establishment into delivery. The emphasis has been on practical action, learning from what’s happening on the ground, and building a group that provides value for the people farming in the catchment. The group covers the Ashburton Forks, Staveley and Alford Forest areas, bounded roughly by the Rangitata Diversion Race, Thompsons Track, and the North and South Branches of the Ashburton River. It’s a distinc

A fishing representative says Greenpeace's "vandalism" of Rakaia's iconic salmon statue has hurt a rural community just to make a political point. Greenpeace protesters defaced the large statue on February 15, just weeks after a $300,000 ratepayer-funded refurbishment. The activists replaced the salmon's eyes with cartoon-style crosses and added a speech bubble reading ‘Fonterra killed my family’. Greenpeace Aotearoa freshwater campaigner Will Appelbe said the protest aimed t