Future focused The November 2016 Dairy Exporter magazine is all about the future on many levels. On an industry level, we cover a number of farmers going through the process of developing a farm environment plan – a requirement in a growing number of regions. Call it what you will, – nutrient management plan, farm environment plan, compliance cost or good business practice, many farmers start out dreading them but find they are a useful process to understand their farm environment and the effects their activities have on it. Before you are driven to change something you have to understand and measure its effects. Our feature farm showcasing our Science in Action series is the Rathgen family of South Canterbury who are involved in the farm trials of the forages for reduced nitrogen project that is showing good results in terms of reducing N and increasing production. Exciting news for the future. The future of Dairy Exporter magazine has been secured by its sale to Tony Leggett, producing this and sister farm management title Country-Wide. Trading as NZ Farm Life Media, we look forward to growing and progressing the readership of this 91 year old title!   Salad daysSouth Canterbury’s Rathgen family have embraced salad days as part of the Forages for reduced N leaching project and are finding both production and environmental f benefits. Heifer growth impacts milk production As part of a series on heifer rearing veterinarian and cow nutritionist Sue Macky covers off the levels of nutrition and growth dairy heifers must achieve to maximize later production levels. Changing Mindsets Waikato farmers Peter and Jenny Sinclair have a strong environmental conscience which makes them proactive about doin