Alexa Cook

A farming group is using planes and helicopters to drop supplies to remote farms cut off by road by last week's earthquake, saying authorities have been frustratingly slow.

Keeping communication channels open has been a real problem for rural areas hit by last week's quake, says Federated Farmers.

A group of young farmers are out in force to help rural communities cut-off by Monday's massive earthquake.

Farmers cut off by Monday's earthquake are frustrated that helicopters have been flying over them without stopping.

Monday's quake has hit the rural community hard, leaving farmers without power and affecting vineyards in the busy bottling period.

Alliance Group - the country's largest sheep meat processor and exporter - has annouced an annual pre-tax profit of $10.1 million, and will pay $9.8m in divdends to its farmer shareholders.

Shearing legend Sir David Fagan has teamed up with WorkSafe to get farmers and shearers looking out for risks on the job.

Rural areas will turn into the 'wild west' if people don't remain vigilant in reporting thefts, says a farmer who's had 50 lambs stolen.

A farming couple's wedding savings are gone after the theft of 55 Friesian bull calves worth $24,000 from a North Canterbury property.

Beef and Lamb New Zealand is predicting farmers' income will drop 13 percent to an average of $67,000 this season.

The dairy industry's value to the economy has nearly halved since milk prices boomed in the 2013/14 season, new figures show.

Public suspicion and red tape is discouraging Chinese investment in New Zealand, a Shanghai Pengxin boss says.

Outrage over hidden-camera footage of the treatment of bobby calves illustrates many people's disconnect with farming life, Federated Farmers says.

Agricultural training school Taratahi is in talks to partner with Chinese dairy firm, Mengniu Dairy Company.

Farm sales across the country are on the rise as farmers buy up their neighbours' properties, new figures show.

Fonterra is still struggling to provide calf milk powder and calf rearers are desperate, says a rural animal feed store.

Low milk payouts and poor weather are "the straw that's broken the camel's back" in terms of farmers' self-confidence, a Waikato dairy farmer says.

A shipment of palm kernel which has been anchored off Tauranga for over a month has been banned from entering New Zealand.

Regulations governing raw milk cheeses are ridiculous and unaffordable, cheesemakers have told a parliamentary committee.

British retailer Marks & Spencer will no longer stock New Zealand lamb in its Scottish stores, after a decision to only sell locally-produced lamb.

Small-scale cheesemakers are fighting the government over what they say are unrealistic food safety fees.

A rural animal feed store says Fonterra has told them that there is no calf milk powder for two weeks, causing panic among calf rearers.

The value of New Zealand lamb exports dropped 40 percent in August compared to August last year, AgriHQ says.

Westland Milk Products is joining forces with a Chinese company to create a new infant formula venture in New Zealand.

The Tatua Co-operative Dairy Company has announced an annual operating profit of $99.7m and confirmed last season's milk price at $6.30 a kilogram of milk solids.