News

With the slowing of irrigation development in the rural sector in New Zealand over the last two to three years, the PGG Wrightson Water team turned its focus on growing other areas of their business including irrigation systems for golf courses. Advanced Irrigation Systems (AIS) – a trading division...

One of the high-performing teams within the PGG Wrightson Seeds’ New Zealand business, which operates largely away from the public eye, is the Arable business unit. This business unit which works alongside specialist arable farmers is based in Canterbury, New Zealand’s most intense arable production...

Autumn is the time to decide on winter production options and start preparations for spring forage. So what should be on your checklist? Soil testing Agricultural soils are tested to measure the soil quality and nutrient levels for monitoring fertiliser programmes and to assist with identifying...

When establishing a new pasture, the end game is to have a high performing feed for your livestock. Weeds compete with your newly establishing pasture for space, light, moisture and nutrients, reducing its performance and longevity. Weed control is essential to give your new seedling plants the best...

Bunches become increasingly susceptible to botrytis bunch rot as they ripen. Monitor weather forecasts closely and make sure fungicide covers are applied in anticipation of wet weather. This should be the policy through until pre-harvest while strictly observing product PHIs. If bird damage is a...

It is time to review your heifer management and determine whether your liveweight targets have been reached. Nine month old heifers should be 40 percent of adult weight, and pregnant rising two year old heifers should be at 90 percent. Achieving targets now ensures that they reach puberty and cycle...

PGG Wrightson and Ballance Agri-Nutrients would like to thank the farming community for taking part in the Cash for Communities programme. Eight programmes over the past seven years have raised $482,000 for schools and community organisations around New Zealand. That’s a great effort! The programme...

Feeding molasses to dairy cows through lactation is beneficial for many reasons, says Contract Milker Josh Lavender. He notes increased feed consumption, better energy levels and maintaining condition score as the primary drivers for feeding the supplement every year. Josh winters approximately 820...

Information transfer is a key link between the researchers and experts of an industry to those who are in the position to utilise the information. Horticulture has a strong focus on research and development, whether for new practices, products or varieties, and ensuring this information gets to our...

As you will see in our latest edition of the Rural Property Pulse, this summer’s market for rural property featured various highlights. Demand for sheep and beef farms, viticulture and horticulture properties ranges from steady to spectacular. In most instances, among farmers and growers in these...

Dairy It has been pleasing to see a lift in forward sale activity for herds and in calf heifers over the past few weeks. Herds in general are selling for $1600 - $1850, with some top end stock above this. Most areas have completed or commenced pregnancy testing with mixed results being reported...

North Island Sheep and Beef North Island beef farmers are set for a positive few weeks of weaner sales through the first half of the autumn. Last year’s weaner sales achieved record prices with encouraging volumes of cattle going through the yards. This year, we have plenty of grass on the paddocks...

Fruitfed Supplies Senior Technical Advisor Tayah Ryan considers water quality and its impact on horticultural practices. It’s not often we give much thought to the water we put in our spray tanks, but water quality can have a significant influence on the stability of chemicals within the spray tank...

PGG Wrightson Ltd* (PGW) announced today that at the half-year it is on track to surpass last year’s strong operating result. For the half year ending 31 December 2017 operating earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (Operating EBITDA)** of $34.2 million were up $8.2 million on...

Over ten years of investment in breeding, research and development has paid off with recently released Platform AR37 jumping straight to the top of this year’s National Forage Variety Trial (NFVT) summary. Nick Browning, Northland dairy farmer, compared Platform AR37 to Expo AR37 and found Platform...

The iconic Rollesby Valley Lamb Sale, which attracted a record number of buyers this year, was held on Thursday 8 February. It’s a big couple of days for the South Canterbury PGG Wrightson Livestock team with the teams working on Wednesday and Thursday morning to prepare the ewes and lambs for sale...

Fruitfed Supplies’ Crop Monitoring Team in Hawke’s Bay is one of seven teams around the country working with growers to ensure the accurate and timely reporting of crop monitoring results to aid crop management decisions. Hawke’s Bay Crop Monitoring Co-ordinators Denise Chamberlain and Rena Mehrtens...

Hawke’s Bay-based Fruitfed Supplies Technical Advisor Sean Gresham highlights the importance of maintaining good hygiene practices during the harvest of apple crops. Last autumn we experienced unprecedented rainfall which lead to higher levels of fruit rots and infection of picking wounds by...