2022/23 Spring sown wheat and barley cultivar evaluations

Sometimes, the only way to bring in a crop is to harvest in conditions that are less than ideal. If you find yourself in this situation, it’s a good idea to think about your combine settings to help reduce losses and prevent unnecessary breakdowns. This Technical Update  covers some of the key points for getting the job done .

Harvest Snippets provides a harvest season summary of the Cultivar Performance Trials. Find all the 2025/2026 season harvest snippets here.

A number of arable farmers are partnering in a Government project exploring the use of solar and batteries on New Zealand farms.

A single male brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) has been detected in a surveillance trap in Ōrākei, Auckland. The find was made on Tuesday 3 February, during routine monitoring.

For two years after Cyclone Gabrielle, FAR spoke to a number of affected farmers and growers to learn how they , and their families, worked their way through the aftermath. Their answers were compiled into a lengthy report, then summarised into a poster outlining the most important things to consider and do in the daynewss and weeks following a disaster.

Beef + Lamb New Zealand are seeking South Island mixed finishing farms to include in their national Sheep and Beef Farm survey. The survey links physical production with financial returns and the capital structure of farms. 

Arable growers worried that some weeds in their crops may have developed herbicide resistance can now get the suspected plants tested for free. Find out how you can take part here.

Welcome to the revised 2025 version of  The drying and storage of grain and herbage seed, first published in 1999. The book comprises six chapters that cover grain characteristics and their reaction to climate, the importance of seed moisture, the drying system, the storage environment, storage pests and their control, and construction considerations. These have been edited and updated by FAR staff and independent experts from the original chapters written by the late Murray Hill.

Between January and May 2025, FAR and harvester specialists conducted a comprehensive study to quantify the grain and seed left in the paddock by New Zealand growers and identify opportunities to optimise harvester performance. 

The Arable Food Industry Council (AFIC) commissioned Business and Economic Research Limited (BERL) to provide a comprehensive overview of the diverse arable production activities in New Zealand and the associated economic impact to the New Zealand economy.