Rural
Midday Report Essentials for Friday 18 July 2025
In today's episode, A pioneer of the New Zealand music scene has died. Chris Ta'aloga Faiumu, also known as DJ Mu or Fitchie, was a founder of the band Fat Freddy's Drop; Fonterra is pleased to see… Audio
LIC posts $30.6m profit as farmers invest in herd genetics
A booming rural economy and renewed farmer spending helped boost LIC's profits fourfold over the previous year. Audio
Concern as manager of one of country's largest stations resigns
Sources say Jim Ward was frustrated about the lack of action to control wilding pines on the Crown-owned land.
ETS settings incentivising whole farm conversions into forestry, farmers say
But a forestry group has hit back saying it's not the only reason sheep numbers are declining. Audio
Community 'in shock' as industrial park greenlit
"People took the assumption that it was so ridiculous that it was never going to happen," one critic says.
Volunteers helping farmers and orchardists with flood clean-up in Tasman
An army of volunteers has swung into action in the Nelson Tasman region to help flood-affected farmers and orchardists with the massive clean-up ahead. Top of the South Rural Support Trust chairperson… Audio
Government announces $600k support for flood affected farmers
The Minister of Agriculture and Forestry has announced a half a million dollar support package from government and industry for flood-affected farmers, growers and foresters in the Tasman region. It… Audio
Up to $500,000 a day spent fixing roads in flood damaged Tasman district
As the mop up continues in the flood-battered Tasman district, up to half a million dollars a day is being spent fixing up damaged roads. Tasman District Council's group manager community… Audio
Forest Owners Association on flood damage in Tasman
The head of the Forest Owners Association is flying to flood damaged Tasman on Tuesday as it grapples with fallen trees, forestry slash and silt. Forest Owners Association chief executive Elizabeth… Audio
Drop-in centre set up to help flood-affected locals in Motueka
Nelson Tasman Civil Defence will again be sending a helicopter up to assess and make contact with isolated households. Motueka Community Board deputy chair and co-ordinator for the local business… Audio
Orchard could lose $6 million worth of pear trees due to flood
One of the country's largest pear producers says they stand to lose up to $6 million worth of trees if they can't get rid of the deep layer of silt covering their orchards. Echodale Marketing's… Audio
Tasman farms could take years to recover from floods: Federated Farmers
Federated Farmers believes it could be years before some farms in the Tasman District fully recover from the devastating floods of the past two weeks. Nelson Federated Farmers president Kerry Irvine… Audio
Re-landscaping NZ farms for future generations
John Burke and his family have taken what was considered the most environmentally degraded farm in the Western Bay of Plenty and turned it into an award-winning environmental farm. Audio
Kids and seniors join forces to feed earth not landfills
What was once waste is now a resource thanks to a clever collaboration between classrooms, care homes, cafes and countryside.
City to Farm - how leftovers are giving back to the land
Food scraps from retirement villages and schools are heping to nourish a banana orchard and other farms via the City to Farm project, which aims to keep organic waste out of landfill and help curb… Audio
From the Archive - working dogs go under the hammer
A dip into the archives when Cosmo Kentish-Barnes attended the 64th annual Ashburton cattle and sheep dog sale to find out what these hard-working dogs are worth. Audio
