15th April 2026 // Rural News in partnership with Farmlands

- Fonterra payout hits bank accounts- a2 Milk profit forecast cut- Winston Peters slams India FTA push- DWN names leadership award finalistsRural News is in partnership with Farmlands as part of CountryWide CONNECT with Andy Thompson & Sarah Perriam-Lampp - our daily rural show livestreamed from 11am-1pm. Visit country-wide.co.nz on how to watch / listen.   Pāmu's Record Profit Year State-owned farming company Pāmu has confirmed a $10 million special dividend to the Crown, funded partly through a $9.5 million capital repayment from Fonterra following the sale of its Mainland consumer brands business. The payment brings Pāmu's total dividends to the Crown to $25 million for the 2025/26 financial year. Chief Executive Mark Leslie says the payment reflects three years of focused work lifting on-farm performance and running a more disciplined business. Pāmu recorded a net operating profit of $26 million at the half year and is on track for a record full-year profit of between $97 million and $107 million. Leslie says as a State-Owned Enterprise, strong commercial performance goes hand in hand with people, environmental, and animal welfare outcomes, as well as responsibility to the communities Pāmu operates in.   Dairy Workers Back Sector DairyNZ's 2025 Dairy Farm Employee Survey shows over 80 percent intend to stay in dairy, with animals, the outdoors and lifestyle the top drawcards. Senior People Specialist Jane Muir says workers of all ages remain committed to the sector long-term. But the data flags real pressure points. Nearly a third of those who leave cite insufficient pay, 28 percent point to poor management relationships, and working hours average 53 to 54 hours a week during calving. Younger workers are notably more positive about dairy as a sector than about their specific farm, signalling that on-farm leadership and rosters need urgent attention. The 2026 survey is underway and open until Monday the 4th of May at dairynz.co.nz.   War Hits Farm Costs New Zealand farmers are being warned to brace for higher fertiliser and input costs as both the United Nations and the International Monetary Fund sound the alarm over the Middle East conflict's impact on global agricultural supply chains. Between 20 and 45 percent of key inputs — including urea — rely on passage through the Strait of Hormuz, and with oil prices already 40 percent above pre-war levels, pressure on farm budgets is building. The IMF has cut its 2026 global growth forecast and warns food prices will rise regardless of how quickly the conflict de-escalates, with disrupted shipping and higher energy costs hitting ahead of the planting season.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.