Farming Conditions

Houses will soon be sprawling over vegetable producing land around Pukekohe, banks in Northland are advising some dairy farmers to sell up, while in the South Island frosts are keeping soil… Audio

Around the country North Island farms are generally pretty short of pasture after a more typical, colder winter, while in the south lambing and calving is underway. Audio

Frosty conditions have slowed grass growth in the Taihape region, a Wairarapa sharemilker is staying as positive as possible, kiwifruit growers are still winter pruning, Nelson apple and pear… Audio

Nationwide dairy farmers are coping with the dairy payout drop while in the North Island many regions are saturated and water is ponding. In the South Island snow's expected as pre lamb shearing… Audio

In the North Island calves are arriving thick and fast but in Southland, cows are still coming home from winter grazing. Audio

In the North Island there have been some welcome frosts and fine days - they've helped to dry out the ground. In the South, Otago pasture growth is slow due to cold and wet conditions. Audio

Temperatures have warmed up, and some welcome rain's arrived in the North Island, although flood affected Whanganui, Taranaki and Manawatu farmers are still carrying the burden of a huge clean up… Audio

Taranaki and Whanganui hill country farmers are still struggling to cope after storms two weeks ago caused major slipping and floods, bull dozers can't be moved yet to help clear tracks. Meanwhile… Audio

Horowhenua Vegetable growers have been struggling to work in extremely wet conditions and across Cook Strait farmers are getting stuck into winter mode. Audio

A round up of farming conditions from across New Zealand. Audio

It's been frosty in the North Island while in South most regions have had significant rain. Audio

Young dairy farmers are still feeling optimistic about the industry, despite the low payout, and their farms are well set up for winter, that's in both the North and South Islands. Audio

Confidence in the beef industry were backed up by prices at the first of the season bull sales in Gisborne this week, while Marlborough farmers jumped for joy receiving a good 70 to 80 millimetres of… Audio

It's been frosty in the North Island. Winter pruning's in full swing on South Island orchards. Audio

It's been a warmer, drier week around the North Island, while on the West Coast of the South Island it's been raining cats and dogs. Audio

Dairy farmers are reeling from this week's drop in the milk payout, while weatherwise Friday was a glorious day in the North Island. In the South Island Canterbury and Marlborough received welcome… Audio

Hamish Gates reports from Pukekohe, Charlie McCaig from Taranaki and Nukuhia Hadfield from Wairoa. Jeff Sewell and Justin Davie comment on conditions on the land from their patches in the South… Audio

Grass growth is bouncing back in the North Island following the cold snap. In Canterbury, snow settled on the plains for the first time since 1992. Audio

Rain's fallen in most North Island regions this week, but only Taranaki and Whanganui, down to Horowhenua, and Hawkes Bay, have had transformational rain. In the South Island temperatures are dropping… Audio

Four people give their impression of farm conditions around New Zealand. Audio