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As an essential nutrient for plant growth and development, nitrogen (N) is critical for increasing crop yields.

The autumn period like last year has produced a consistent spell of warmer weather. With only a couple of light frosts, the soil temperature has remained up with consistent growth rates for all crops and pasture.

For the next 3 months, we will look at the following: Autumn sown arable crops, barley grass control in pasture and weed control in lucerne.

The prompt for Hamish Marr to apply for a Nuffield Scholarship came one day when he was working a paddock on his tractor, listening to an interview between a Radio NZ journalist and then Environmental Protection Agency Chief Scientist Jacqueline Rowarth.

The Rakaia Gorge can be an unforgiving place to be a cropping farmer, with its howling nor’westerlies and inevitable weather challenges. But the Marr family have spent five generations carving a place for themselves in the dryland country.

What started out as a fleeting comment has grown into fledgling business for a Selwyn couple determined to enlighten others to the wonders of alpaca farming.

Through Ruralco’s website platform all the deals in this year’s Instore Days will be online, with the same variety and quality Ruralco members have become familiar with over the years.

Energy consumers have the opportunity for more choice of energy companies, thanks to the recent decision by the Electricity Authority to ban the retailer based win-backs for 180 days after a customer has decided to switch to another retailer.

Ruralco staff have dug deep in a short time, relocating to homes for work, establishing distancing at critical Farm Supplies Stores and realigning the business to continue serving shareholders.

Tony Coltman and Dana Carver of Canlac Holdings have been named the Canterbury Supreme Winners in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards run by the New Zealand Farm Environment Trust.