increase font size
Yani Garcia.
New Zealand and Australia share many problems in common in their dairy industries, says Professor Yani Garcia from Sydney University.
He told Dairy News at the recent Australasian Dairy Science Symposium that both countries face challenges on how to grow their respective industries while facing pressure for suitable land and in meeting new environmental standards.
Also challenging is public perception of the dairy industry, he says.
“The last 10 years has seen massive change in public interest in the dairy industry; it’s about provenance – where the milk comes from, how well animals are looked after. Many young kids don’t know much about how milk is produced and in that sense there are a lot of similarities between Australia and New Zealand.”
Garcia is working on a project called ‘Future Dairy’, trying to foresee solutions to problems dairy farmers will face, notably how they can run intensive systems but also look after the environment.
“The other big part of the project is the use of automation and technology to assist in dairy production, such as how to use robots on farms, how to use automation in all aspects of dairy production and how to make life better for animals and people.”
Water is a big issue for the Australian industry but Garcia says research shows scope to treble efficiency for the benefit of farmers and the community.
Garcia applauded the Dairy Science Symposium, saying it paves the way for cooperation.
OPINION: Your old mate hears that at a recent China Business Summit, PM Christopher Luxon delivered a none-too-subtle "could try harder" report card on the red meat industry regarding its exports to China - particularly when compared to Australia.
More Australian states are embracing virtual fencing technology, opening growth opportunities for Kiwi companies like Halter.
Fonterra says its ongoing legal battle with Australian processor Bega Cheese won’t change its divestment plans.
Farmers in the Australian state of New South Wales will soon be able to use virtual fencing and herding technology to boost farm productivity.
Australian farmers advocate NFF says this year’s Federal Election will be a defining moment for Australian agriculture.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says withdrawing from the Paris Agreement on climate change would be “a really dumb move”.
The University of Waikato has broken ground on its new medical school building.
Undoubtedly the doyen of rural culture, always with a wry smile, our favourite ginger ninja, Te Radar, in conjunction with his wife Ruth Spencer, has recently released an enchanting, yet educational read centred around rural New Zealand in one hundred objects.
Farmers are being urged to keep on top of measures to control Cysticerus ovis - or sheep measles - following a spike in infection rates.
For more than 50 years, Waireka Research Station at New Plymouth has been a hub for globally important trials of fungicides, insecticides and herbicides, carried out on 16ha of orderly flat plots hedged for protection against the strong winds that sweep in from New Zealand’s west coast.
There's a special sort of energy at the East Coast Farming Expo, especially when it comes to youth.
