Tim Cronshaw

Canterbury sheep and beef farmers who lapped up the wisdom of mentors when they were young are paying it back by being part of Growing Future Farmers (GFF).

Farmers can expect easy walking around an improved site for the South Island Agricultural Field Days at Canterbury’s Kirwee in March.

North Canterbury farmer Alistair Bird — also known as Kiwi Farmer — is the winner of the people’s choice competition in this year’s Otago Daily Times-Rural Life Rural Champions initiative.

Farmers are being cautioned to watch out for rising energy costs and a potential ‘‘price shock’’ if Middle East strikes escalate that could reverse cheaper fertilisers.

Lincoln University’s record student numbers are on a strong growth curve with half of them studying for postgraduate qualifications.

Scientists are quietly confident the success of adding fungal endophytes to protect ryegrass pastures can be repeated in wheat and other cereal crops.

High country farmers are glad to see the back of a late snow storm landing in the middle of merino lambing and hoggets about to give birth in Canterbury.

A slimmed down Canterbury A&P Show will be larger than first thought next week as supporters led by Sir David Carter bring it back from a precarious financial position.

A new genetic data co-ordinator based on a farm outside of Kaikoura is helping the nation’s beef farmers lift the genetic quality in their herds.

Old trees coming up to the surface last summer are fully submerged again as water levels go back to normal at South Canterbury’s Lake Opuha.

Dairy farm sales are expected to pick up, as ageing and other farmers come to grips with a higher payout and list their Canterbury properties.

A small rust fungus has begun its battle as a biocontrol agent against invasive Chilean needle grass after the first release of its kind in the world in Marlborough and Canterbury.

Canterbury-based Synlait has lifted its milk price forecast in line with Fonterra’s mid range of $9 a kilogram of milk solids.

Next week more light will be shed on who will be the standout among four top operators in a competition celebrating excellence in sustainable irrigation.

Hurunui farmers are juggling hungry lambs with tight feed stores as rain fails to replenish the drought-declared region.

Canterbury’s Samantha Harmer and Tegan Caves are keen to put wool-classing skills learned from mentors to the test in the woolshed.

Dairy farmers are reminding sideline commentators going "bonkers" about the prospect of a $9 payout that it comes on the back of a break-even season.

A potato pest wiping out more than 5% of the Canterbury crop is being squashed thanks to a grower-led initiative.

Only the silent hum of a new electric tractor will be heard soon at an energy farm being developed by Lincoln University to prise itself free of fossil fuels.

Canterbury farmers concerned about a run of quad bike deaths are getting crush protection devices installed.