Farming Conditions

June was a fabulous month for growth in the North Island. In the South, Marlborough's welcomed 100 millimetres of rain. Audio

In the North Island there's been an awful lot of rain with the whole East Coast receiving a huge downpour, in the South Island South Otago and Southland farmers are having a reasonably kind start to… Audio

Farmers fill us in on their week from the National Agricultural Fieldays; one farmer has his hands very firmly in his pockets having just become a 50/50 sharemilker and an Otago farmer is busy selling… Audio

Some sizable apple developments are going in around Waipawa in Hawke's Bay, but labour is limiting investor enthusiasm, while in the South Island, south Otago farms are dry underfoot and feed… Audio

Taranaki is looking lush and in the South Island kiwifruit vines are being very carefully pruned in Nelson. Audio

Very welcome rain fell on the East Coast, along with freezing temperatures in many places of the North Island. It was similiar in the South Island with cracking frosts and sunny days. Oturehua had a… Audio

Federated Farmers is asking its members to write to government ministers outlining just what impact the labour shortage is having on them and their farming operation. Audio

The green kiwifruit harvest is underway in the north where winter is making its presence felt and in the south feed is being trucked from the West Coast to bone dry farms in the east. Audio

Lovely rain this week in the north has not been so welcome on Bay of Plenty orchards in the midst of kiwifruit harvest and there's been sleet, snow and some wicked frosts down south. Audio

It's bone dry on the East Coast of the North Island, a hunter out near Hikurangi says in the 20 years he's gone out it's never been so dry and Marlborough is still hunting for rain while the West… Audio

Most North Island regions that desperately needed rain didn't get any this week and snow has appeared on Mounts Ruapehu and Taranaki, meanwhile the situation is grim on many Marlborough and North… Audio

In the North Island many east coast regions are desperately short of rain, and elsewhere ground water levels are still low, while conditions in coastal Marlborough are beyond dire, and a drought… Audio

Farmers are starting to struggle in a drier than normal autumn in many places around the country. In Hawkes Bay apple picking conditions have been fabulous with fine, windless days. Audio

In the North Island at least one Taranaki farm's on track for a record milk production season while in the South Island Southland farmers think they've dialled up one of the best possible autumns. Audio

Bay of Plenty gold kiwifruit growers are waiting for clearance to pick the fruit. Tasman apple orchardists are still crying out for workers. Audio

Waikato dairy farmers are doing their budgets for next year and there's no shortage of ways to spend their increased fortunes. In the South farmers are trying to set up for winter but it's dry. Audio

More than a sniff of rain is needed in the north where weaner cattle are fetching good prices at the sales and in the south farmers are busy with autumn sown crops. Audio

Waikato had hail this week and in the South Island, Marlborough farmers are trying to keep weight on ewes ahead of mating. Audio