Stories by Alexa Cook

Growing demand for sheep milk products has prompted the government to invest $12 million into a new partnership with a Taupō-based company.

E coli water tests don't pick up all the bugs from animals and some could be slipping through the cracks, a Waikato veterinarian and ecologist says.

The government is failing to manage the risk of farming to human health because there is no tool to manage effluent run-off from farms, Fish and Game says.

The government's nutrient-loss monitoring tool for farms needs to account for runoff that could contaminate waterways, a veterinarian says.

The primary sector is turning to cities to promote jobs in the industry in an effort to create a more qualified workforce.

New Zealand police have officially joined ranks with beekeepers to tackle beehive crime, as the soaring price of manuka honey leads to more thefts.

Good news for avocado lovers: the season is under way, and volumes are expected to hit a record high.

A common herbicide should not be cleared for use because the recent safety review by the government was fundamentally flawed, says GE Free NZ.

Farmers could finally have break-even milk prices this season, a dairy analyst says. Audio

A new programme to support free range and barn eggs has been launched at Countdown supermarkets after a call for it to go completely free range.

A high country sheep farmer wants the government to introduce two types of moth to help control a putrid-smelling lucerne crop weed.

An international study has narrowed down the biggest risks for pollinators, with the hope of preventing further threats to global food production.

Federated Farmers says banks should pass on the Reserve Bank's cuts, because it is not in their best interests to have farms topple over and impact negatively on their books.

New Zealand's honey bee population is growing rapidly, says Apiculture NZ - despite a study which says it's declining.

The UMF Honey Association says it can now classify what is genuine manuka honey, which it believes is a world first.

Fertiliser company Ballance has more than halved its farmer rebate and is distributing $46 million less than last year.

Pea growers could be compensated for the government's ban on pea growing and distribution after a pea weevil was found in the Wairarapa.

The New Zealand Pork Awards in Christchurch last night celebrated turning 100 percent New Zealand grown pork into bacon, ham and pork products.

Low milk prices and plummeting milk production are forcing many UK dairy farmers out of the industry, an analyst says.

Labour is being irresponsible by pointing farmers to OECD figures that show they won't break even for another three years, a farm enterprise specialist says.

Some winter calves are dropping earlier than expected - and it might be down to the sperm, Federated Farmers dairy chairman Andrew Hoggard says.

Wool brokers say, despite the first sale of the season being disappointing, suppliers shouldn't react too quickly by dumping large quantities into a fragile market.

Northland region has more than twice the national rate of parents who refuse vaccinations for their children, new research shows.

Prices have held steady in the global dairy auction overnight. Audio

Demand for manuka honey has boosted the value of farmland, with many properties doubling price over the past couple of years, a real estate firm says.