News

Farmers offered opportunity to donate stock to support relief fund In early March I caught up with PGG Wrightson’s East Coast clients and staff to look at some of the devastation left in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle. While it’s fair to say that the resulting aftermath leaves a knot in the stomach...

Cropping farmers support store lamb sales, while calves presented in excellent condition Some South Island areas were dry through summer, particularly South Otago and Southern Southland, though rain in early March provided farmers in those localities with a measure of respite and the prospect of...

The Country’s Jamie Mckay talks to GM of PGG Wrightson Rural Real Estates, Peter Newbold about the Sheep and Beef farms that are being sold and how many are going to trees. Peter let Jamie know he can’t give an exact percentage but that in some regions he would say more than 50% are going into...

Jamie Mackay recently had a conversation about deer with Tony Cochrane, national velvet manager for PGG Wrightson. But Jamie wanted to touch on venison first, contending that New Zealanders don't eat enough of one of the great meats. Tony agreed but pointed out that price is a factor - although...

Favourable weather positive for both stock and support from buyers Weaner fairs are benefiting from the abundance of feed across all North Island regions, which is boosting the condition of stock coming to market, driving values up by as much as 50 cents per kilogram liveweight compared to last year...

The small town of Ohakune is located close to the southwestern slopes of Mount Ruapehu, covering an area of 6.4km2 and has a population of 1,150. The question, “What is Ohakune famous for?” tops a Google search and informs the viewer that it’s the Carrot Capital of NZ, Chocolate Eclairs, and a...

Jamie Mackay recently had a conversation about deer with Tony Cochrane, national velvet manager for PGG Wrightson. But Mackay wanted to touch on venison first, contending that New Zealanders don’t eat enough of “one of the great meats”. Cochrane agreed but pointed out that price is a factor -...

In 2022 the Bikes for Blokes duo, Bruce and Paul, cycled the length of NZ raised a whopping $200,000 for Farmstrong NZ and the Prostate Cancer Outcomes Registry NZ. This year they are going even bigger, and we are proud to get behind them once again to help them reach their goal of raising $400,000...

The PGG Wrightson Academy was established in 2006 to broaden employee knowledge across PGW’s Business Units and bring both new people and new innovations to agriculture and horticulture. Now in its 17th year, more than 300 employees have completed the programme and have proceeded to enrich PGW, our...

Obviously, there are some real issues around getting wool out of wool sheds and power into wool sheds - but the season is well through. Edwards said that it could have been more difficult for wool growers but a fair degree of the wool had been shorn throughout the flat areas of the Hawke’s Bay and...

The Country, NZ Herald Toa Henderson is shaping up as a serious contender to end Rowland Smith’s Golden Shears open championship-winning run this week in Masterton. Henderson, of Kaiwaka, won a six-man Pahiatua Shears open final, scoring his third victory in three weeks over Hawke’s Bay-based Smith...

Naturally, the main topic of conversation was Cyclone Gabrielle and its effect on Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay and the East Coast of the North Island. Mackay asked how PGG agents and their clients were coping at the moment. Newbold said it was really tough and all “normal” work had been put on the back...

Back L-R:John O’Brien, Rex Anderson, Wayne Hall, Ratahi Cross, Te Hira Pere, Hon Willie Jackson Front L-R:Ray Hiki, Helen Scott, Trudy Meredith, Riri Ellis, Kingi Smiler Photo: Alphapix Photography. The finalists in this year’s Ahuwhenua Trophy for the top Māori horticulturalists have been announced...

Working on a rural property keeps you pretty fit and healthy but, even so, no one is sadly immune to illness or death. As a farmer or property owner you will be used to planning ahead for the seasons. Thinking about what may happen when you are not around is also a part of good rural management – as...

Image: EARTH.NULLSCHOOL.NET PGG Wrightson (PGW) has assembled its National Response Group to assess the impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle and to coordinate our response supported by our Business Unit Response Teams. Over the initial days our immediate focus has been on the safety of our people. We are...

Jamie Mackay from The Country had a quick chat with Brad Osborne, area livestock manager for PGG Wrightson for South Auckland. On a lighter note, Jamie expressed surprise that there's actually a lamb draft on Waiheke Island. Brad's heading over there to do just that. It's agreed this should be an...

Kev Wilson started working in the wool industry in Napier in 1962. At 16 his first job was as a junior wool classer for broker De Pelichet Mcleod. A few years after the Korean War had driven huge impetus into the wool sector, demand for the fibre remained strong. “There were plenty of wool stores...

A study by scientists at the School of Environment, University of Auckland has shown that Auckland has much higher levels of airborne microplastics than has been recorded in many cities elsewhere: equivalent to three million plastic bottles per year in the air of Auckland. Microplastics are produced...