News

Encompassing seven decades, a momentous career in wool comes to an end in a few weeks. PGG Wrightson North Island Wool Manager Allan Jones started in the business in December 1966. Growing up on his family’s South Canterbury lifestyle property and regularly working on farms including his uncle’s...

A significant quantity of merino wool has been offered at the South Island sales throughout November. Enduring interest from one of the major Australian fine wool exporters, who has attended our fine wool sales in person, further strengthens buying power in the room. This has resulted in prices that...

In the latest interview with Rowena Duncum from The Country, Grant Edwards, the General Manager for Wool at PGG Wrightson, provided insights into the current state of the wool market, notable retirements, and exciting developments. Listen to the interview below or read a summary of the key points...

Prolific winning Southland shearing legend Nathan Stratford has won a lot of titles in more than 30 years of competition shearing but still had time for something different at the Canterbury Shears’ New Zealand Corriedale shearing and woolhandling championships in Christchurch on Thursday and Friday...

The sheep industry is doing it tough right now, and unfortunately, things could get worse, according to PGG Wrightson’s Kevin Mortensen. “It’s hard at the moment and it could even get harder,” the King Country regional livestock manager told The Country’s Jamie Mackay. Many farmers were “entering...

PGG Wrightson’s Timaru Rural Supplies store is on the move. From Thursday, 9 November the store will be located at 325 Hilton Highway, Washdyke, Timaru. This new purpose‐built development combines our company store, office, and warehouse under one roof. The team is excited about moving to the new...

Two-times National Shearing Circuit champion Nathan Stratford has set sail for a possible 20th final in the annual all-breeds championship with maximum points in the first three rounds of the 2023-2024 PGG Wrightson/Vetmed series. The Southland gun first reached the final in 2000, when it was won by...

In a recent interview with Rowena Duncum from The Country, Grant Edwards, the General Manager for Wool at PGG Wrightson, shared promising developments in the wool industry. Listen to the interview below or read a summary of the key points discussed: 1. Crossbred Wool Prices on the Rise Grant Edwards...

Farmers increasingly recognise the need for a sound and factually based genetics programme to underpin their stud purchases and maximise revenue. Callum Stewart, PGG Wrightson Livestock Genetics national manager says such a programme needs to rest on knowledge of a farm’s characteristics and the...

Wool Integrity in collaboration with PGG Wrightson and Hyundai Country Calendar, are excited to announce a remarkable opportunity for wool enthusiasts. As a testament to our shared commitment to promoting excellence in wool products, we are giving away a generous $500 voucher for the Wool Integrity...

Things may be quiet on the sheep front with lambing underway but there’s still plenty of cattle action about, PGG Wrightson’s Regional Livestock Manager Otago, John Duffy, says. The Otago Spring cattle sales kicked off in Balclutha a couple of weeks ago, where “a very good bench of buyers” turned up...

Pictured: Fruitfed Supplies Technical Horticultural Representative, Blair Deaker, assesses potential fruit drop in the cherries with Tim Paulin, Managing Director of 3 Kings Cherries near Dunstan, Central Otago. The 'Three Kings' rock formations sit on the mountains above the Clutha River and...

Aotearoa New Zealand sits in a unique position being an isolated island nation which has historically protected it from a number of pests and diseases found elsewhere, but the high volume of trade and tourism increases the risk of them getting across the border. Biosecurity is a major risk to...

Southland shearer and New Zealand representative Leon Samuels completed a double of the traditional first two titles of the shearing sports season when he reclaimed the Waimate Spring Shearing Championship open shearing title in Waimate on Saturday. Samuels, winner of the national fine wool...

Giving it a good crack Like father, like son and like many others who trade sheep and cattle, Lars Hardy is a second generation livestock representative. His father Chris originally started as a rep with Wrightsons in Manawatu in 1990, before going farming himself, first on leased properties...

Exponential growth in demand for genetics Poor wool returns over many years, alongside increasing shearing costs, are inevitably leading to strong interest in shedding sheep. Although controversial alongside the history and traditional profitability of growing wool, many farmers are scouting the...

Esk Valley farmers with their own take on an innovative Australian breed. A recently developed Australian shedding sheep is making its first impact in New Zealand, with an on-farm sale scheduled for 16 November at a property that is pioneering the breed. Dean and Antoinette Martin farm 244-hectare...

Taihape farming family fully sold on shedding sheep On behalf of his parents Greg and Jocelyn, Charles Bennett manages his family’s property Waitui, on 343 hectares of hill country at Tiriraukawa, 26 kilometres southwest of Taihape. Faced with the ongoing challenge of minimising costs and maximising...