19th May 2026 // Rural News in partnership with Farmlands

New tool helps sheep farmers track and grow flock genetic value Southland farmers get extra time on Freshwater Farm Plans Beef and Lamb NZ teams up with Stacey Waaka for grassroots rugby Rural 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.   New tool helps sheep farmers track and grow flock genetic value Beef and Lamb New Zealand has launched a new tool to help sheep farmers better understand and use the genetics in their flock — and see the return on their ram buying decisions over time. nProve Tracker uses ram purchase and mating information to build a picture of a flock's average genetic merit, giving farmers a benchmark to compare genetic potential with what they're seeing on farm. Head of Genetics Dr Jason Archer says it helps farmers identify where the biggest opportunity lies — whether in management, genetics, or both. The tool was developed through the joint Beef and Lamb New Zealand and MPI Cool Sheep Programme and unveiled at the Sheep Breeder Forum where we are broadcasting live from this morning. It will also be demonstrated at the Out the Gate conference in Christchurch tomorrow. Beef and Lamb New Zealand chair Kate Acland says nProve Tracker is a practical example of farmer levies being put to work delivering real value back to the sector. Farmers can find out more at nprovetracker.nz.   Southland farmers get extra time on Freshwater Farm Plans Around two-thousand-five-hundred Southland farmers will have until the end of November 2027 to submit their freshwater farm plans, after the Government extended a deadline that would have required compliance before a new national system is even finalised. The original deadline of May twenty-seventh this year was always going to create problems — farmers would have been required to submit plans under the old system, only for a new improved framework to arrive later in the year. Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says the extension is a practical fix that gives Southland farmers the same certainty as the rest of the country, avoiding duplication and unnecessary cost. Environment Minister Nicola Grigg says removing that pressure allows for a smoother transition to the updated system, which is currently being tested with rural communities. The extension applies only to Southland — other regions are already aligned with the incoming national framework.   Beef and Lamb NZ teams up with Stacey Waaka for grassroots rugby Beef and Lamb New Zealand is hitting the road this winter to support grassroots rugby clubs across the North Island, with world-renowned rugby star Stacey Waaka on board as ambassador. Three winning clubs will receive a visit from Waaka during July and August, with a one-hour skills and drills coaching session for up to fifty young athletes followed by a community barbecue featuring New Zealand beef burgers. Waaka will travel between stops in a custom-branded Toyota Land Cruiser Prado — the Lamb Cruiser. Waaka says grassroots rugby is where it all begins, and there's nothing better than finishing a hard training session with a barbecue and a laugh with the team. Rugby union and league clubs across the North Island can enter now by sharing their story at beeflambnz.co.nz/skillsandgrills — explaining why their club deserves the visit. Entries are open now.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.