Two researchers from the University of Canterbury and another from the Helmholtz Institute have developed machine-learning software that can predict how dangerous a particular strain of Salmonella will be, according to a paper published in PLOS Genetics this week [9 May NZ time].

A black market in cattle sales and a lack of compliance with the National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT) regime by farmers is hampering the Ministry for Primary Industries' efforts to respond to Mycoplasma bovis, which is now New Zealand's large

The ban on new offshore gas exploration has made it harder for fertiliser cooperative Ballance Agri-Nutrients to settle on the future for its plant at Kapuni, which is New Zealand's only ammonia-urea facility

Leading food company Alliance Group has reported promising outcomes from a pilot programme marketing hogget as a premium product as the co-operative seeks to capture more value for farmer shareholders.

Break through effluent technology unveiled by  Ravensdown and Lincoln University in Canterbury technology that could significantly lift the dairy sector’s effluent and water efficiency.

The future of The Rural Health Alliance Aoteroa New Zealand (RHAANZ) is in the balance tonight after the government has failed to promise support of the national rural health group.

Apr 06, 2018 - New Zealand’s umbrella rural health organisation will move to shut down if it does not receive government funding next week. The Rural Health Alliance Aotearoa New Zealand (RHAANZ) today agreed that it will cease operating should the government not provide some core funding support. RHAANZ first presented a funding bid to the Minister of Rural Communities Damien O’Connor and the Minister of Health David Clark back in November last year and due to unfortunate delays on their behalf, it still does not have an answer, chief executive Michelle Thompson says. “Our financial situation is now precarious.…

Apr 05, 2018  -  Synlait Milk (NZX: SML; ASX: SM1) has secured a multiyear lactoferrin supply agreement[1] that will underwrite an investment of approximately $18 million to double lactoferrin manufacturing capacity at Synlait Dunsandel.

Spark has launched its LoRaWAN low powered wide area network for IoT, saying it will enable a farmer to get hourly updates on the location and body temperature of its cows for $1.79 per month.

Mar 14, 2018  -  Construction is underway on an advanced plant that will reduce the amount of groundwater extracted for Fonterra’s Darfield manufacturing site by around 70 per cent. Darfield is already a world leading facility and the $11 million investment in water processing technology will have a significant impact on its environmental footprint. “Thanks to the new plant we’ll save the equivalent of around 100 tanker loads of water every day,” says Robert Spurway, Head of Fonterra’s Global Operations. “As well as reducing water use, the new technology also decreases the amount of water the site discharges for irrigation.…

Mar 13, 2018  -  New Zealand cheese continues to turn heads on the international stage, with Fonterra named category runner-up for its NZMP three-to-six month Cheddar Cheese in the 2018 World Championship Cheese Contest. NZMP Unsalted Butter was also runner up in its category in the prestigious competition held in the United States over the last week.The bi-annual competition features the cream of the cheese and butter world, with products from 26 countries vying for top honours. This year’s competition attracted a record-breaking 3,402 entries in over 120 categories. The Fonterra NZMP Cheddar Cheese is crafted at Fonterra’s Stirling site…