New Zealand

"What China needs is safe, healthy Chinese milk and it starts all the way up stream with farming," Fonterra's CEO Andrew Ferrier said.

Fonterra today signed an agreement with the Government of Yutian County in China which formalises the final stage of due diligence on two potential Fonterra dairy farm sites.

Fonterra says it is having a "very close look" at relaunching a processing business in China as it faces a rapidly growing competitive threat from Chinese manufacturing startups with their own large-scale dairy farms.

Un collectif d’hommes d’affaires néo-zélandais a lancé une campagne médiatique contre l’achat des terres kiwis par des investisseurs étrangers.

Olam International raised its offer for NZ Farming Systems Uruguay to 70 cents from 55 cents a day after the target company disclosed a third bidder is looking at the dairy farm develope

The creation this week of the 'Save our Farms' campaign to block foreign ownership of New Zealand farm land has fired up a debate that needs to be had.

Auckland lawyer Tony Bouchier says his telephone has been ringing red hot with support for a campaign to stop New Zealand farms being sold to overseas owners

Nationwide advertisements have been placed in newspapers today, calling for an end to foreign ownership of New Zealand farmland.

Fears foreign interests have been mounting a major land grab in New Zealand, have been shot down by global accountancy firm KPMG.

A poll shows 75.5 percent of voters want the rules on foreigners buying NZ farmland tightened, with only 8 percent saying they should be relaxed.

Public opinion is clearly against the Crafar farms sale on the basis that NZ is "selling the farm", while selling a controlling stake in a processing plant is seen as another issue altogether. There is a strong argument for conditionality either way, writes Fran O'Sullivan.

Prime Minister John Key yesterday warned of other potential foreign buyers of large tracts of New Zealand farmland lining up behind the Hong Kong company bidding for the Crafar farms as his Government signalled a new focus on overseas investment rules.