By MORGAN, Jon DON'T blame us for high food prices, farmers say. Federated Farmers issued research yesterday that shows the farmer's share of food prices amounts to three slices of a 20-slice loaf, one of four pieces of steak or a small slice of cheese.

By MURDOCH, Helen The burden of farming profitably is increasing on the back of global greening. Food prices are tipped to further soar as environmental costs are passed on to consumers and farming becomes unprofitable.

By VAN BEYNEN, Martin New Zealand used to be country of small farmers. Now that's changing, and it's swallowing up the rural small fry. MARTIN VAN BEYNEN looks at the new world of big farming. Even by the standards of South Island dairy farms, Cloverdale Farm, just south of Ashburton, is big.

By GALLOWAY, Jill; & NZPA Record payout boosts average dairy farm gross to $689,000 ------- ------------- Don't expect a "goldrush" in provincial New Zealand from the record dairy payout announced yesterday, Federated Farmers president Charlie Pedersen says.

A suggestion by Environment Parliamentary Commissioner Jan Wright that dairy farmers should pay for the water they use, has been totally rejected by Federated Farmers national president and Manawatu dairy farmer Charlie Pedersen. "No one, not even people in cities, pay for water.