The current weather all over New Zealand will have more than Wellingtonians holding on to their umbrellas for dear life, however.
Spring storms are common, of course, but are nervous times for those farmers nurturing new life on the farm.
Still, those looking for silver linings will point to the masses of rain that are giving dry pastures a bit of a recharge. All we need now is the warmth to return to kick the growth off again.
Roll on summer, then.
Bryan Gibson
Heavy snowfall forecast for South Island
A spring storm, which has brought snow to parts of the South Island on Sunday night, has been patchy – but the worst winter blast of the year is to come.
Waterway health under pressure
The more intensive the land use, the more of an impact it will have on the health of waterways, according to the latest annual update of New Zealand’s river water quality monitoring data released by Land, Air Water Aotearoa (LAWA).
Zanda McDonald Award finalists announced
The finalists for the 2021 Zanda McDonald Award have been announced with four New Zealanders getting the nod.
Our Land and Water Fund projects greenlighted
Fifteen projects, ranging from studying the impact of regenerative farming on meat quality to the feasibility of growing bananas as forage for dairy cattle, have been greenlighted after being granted funding from the Our Land and Water Rural Professionals Fund.
ACROSS THE RAILS: New season lambs on the horizon
Out on New Zealand’s rolling green hills, lambing is still under way or farmers are tackling the docking scrim in strong winds.
Tonight on Sarah's Country:
7:10pm – If planting production forests is to be restricted with the idea of protecting farming, Forest Owners association president Phil Taylor believes taxpayers are likely to have to pay billions of dollars for imported carbon credits.
7:20pm – The environmental and animal welfare record of New Zealand farmers will come under closer scrutiny in trade talks. Beef + Lamb NZ’s senior trade policy manager Stephanie Honey shares their efforts to counter negative perceptions about the environmental impact of NZ agriculture.
7:30pm – Selling bales of wool to the rest of the planet is not going to improve farm gate returns. Tech'N'Colour NZ general manager Richard Blomendal believes the problem lies in New Zealand's lack of ability to manufacture a finished product.
7:40pm – Minister of Agriculture Damien O'Connor says Labour’s $50 million farm plan pledge will remove some of the regulatory burden farmers face.
