Drought

Linda and Evan Potter are award winning "sustainable farming ambassadors". They farm sheep, beef and deer at Elsthorpe in southern Hawkes Bay. Nearly a quarter of their farm is preserved in the QE2… Audio

In an early Christmas gift to Aucklanders, the Council has decided to ease residential water restrictions this summer.

The city has been under restrictions since May, when storage across all… Audio

People tend to think of the Kaimanawa ferals when the subject of wild horses in New Zealand comes up, but there is a significantly larger number of wild horses in Northland. Kelly Wilson's new book… Audio

Agro-ecologist Nicole Masters is living her dream out of a horse truck in the US helping ranchers and croppers shift mindsets to improve their soils and become more resilient. Audio

Waikato farmers Bart and Vanessa van de Ven have battled through a couple of trying calving seasons but this year they have had time to 'cruise'. Bart says brilliant weather has helped but he's also… Audio

A farmer-owned earth dam near Fairlie provides reliable irrigation for 16,000 hectares of farmland in South Canterbury. It also has a seven megawatt power station that contributes to the local… Audio

Waikato farmers and horticulturalists fear Auckland's water shortage will ultimately divert resources away from their operations and affect food supplies. The Government has fast-tracked Watercare… Audio

Tikikino farmer Hadley Boyle budgets on spending $20,000 a year on supplementary feed for his animals. This year, because of the drought, it has cost $250,000 to keep his cattle alive. The Boyle's… Audio, Gallery

There's a huge feed deficit in Hawke's Bay despite the green landscape. Ag consultant Lochie MacGillivray, who heads the Rural Advisory Group, says farmers have a tough few months ahead of them. Audio

Auckland Council has today been grilling its own water company, Watercare, over the management of the region's water shortage.

At a council meeting this morning, Watercare said the city is… Audio

The drought looks likely to reduce the number of lambs that will be born this spring.

Eric Frykberg has the rural news. Audio

Far north iwi Te Rarawa has launched a new water storage project to safeguard its horticultural business off the back of one of the worst droughts the region has seen.

The project has received $3… Audio

Auckland is on the cusp of an emergency water crisis as it stares down the barrel of the region's worst drought in 25 years with reservoirs at just 43 percent. The Auckland Council is scrambling to… Video, Audio

With water restrictions being placed on Auckland and Northland due to drought, should urban dwellers be storing rainwater for irrigation and non-potable use when the weather gets dry? Audio