Stories by Alexa Cook

There are almost two new pest invasions every day somewhere around the world, a new study reveals.

It is National Lamb Day in New Zealand, marking 135 years since the first export of sheep meat.

Research into the unusual straight and silky wool of mutant sheep is getting closer to revealing why it behaves differently to traditional sheep.

John Kirkpatrick from Napier has claimed the individual world title for machine shearing for the first time.

Fish and Game and the Environment Defence Society are taking on the Horizons Regional Council in court today in a bid to improve its regional plan, including rules around farming and conversions.

The son of champion shearer Sir David Fagan has taken out the world speed shearing title despite his rival pipping him by one second.

Environmentalists and farmers alike are questioning whether the government's focus on production growth is the right one.

Gisborne has recorded the driest January in more than a century.

Dairy farmers are culling cows and moving to once-a-day milking because of feed shortages.

An Australian tree nursery is trying to grow Manuka trees in the hope of cashing in on New Zealand's lucrative market.

Farmers in Hawke's Bay are selling stock because they don't have enough food or water for them, livestock agent John Kingston says.

Four and a half thousand sheep are being hand-picked from Southland farms for the World Shearing and Woolhandling Championship.

A recycling service for farmers is struggling to get pastoral farmers on board to safely dispose of plastic containers and chemicals.

It is more important than ever to check on neighbours and friends, says Doug Avery, a leader for mental health and resiliance in farming.

Freedom campers are going onto private farmland, leaving rubbish and faeces, disrupting stock work and leaving gates open - and Federated Farmers says more needs to be done and fast.

A Hawke's Bay beekeeper says it is the worst season for honey production that he has seen in over 20 years.

The New Zealand wool market has limped along this season and, with Donald Trump now officially US president, wool brokers are worried the worst is yet to come.

A farmer who had about $40,000 worth of irrigator tyres slashed thinks the act of vandalism is designed to send a message about irrigation in the Mackenzie Country.

Silver Fern Farms' dividend of 30 cents per share will be a one-off because it was only used to sweeten a deal with a Chinese company, according to one shareholder.

It is the peak time of year for injuries in agriculture - one of New Zealand's most dangerous occupations - and WorkSafe is urging farmers to be aware of new safety regulations. Audio

A new report shows that farmers' confidence in the Beef and Lamb sector has dipped 11 percent down to 32 percent in the past four months, driven by uncertainty in sheep meat markets.

Louise McNutt is riding two Kaimanawa horses from Cape Reinga to Bluff to try and save the breed from slaughter at the biennial muster. The 30-year-old from Central Hawke's Bay...

The latest situation and outlook report for the primary sector is forecasting a drop in export revenue for the year to June 2017.

Raw milk cheesemaker Biddy Fraser-Davies says she's still losing hundreds of dollars a week because nothing has changed since she went to Parliament to fight for fairer regulations.

The shearers' association says there is a problem with drugs in the industry, but it is hard to measure because testing is not widespread.