Greenpeace a charity?
OPINION: Should Greenpeace be stripped of their charitable status? Farmers say yes.
Farmers are concerned Fonterra's forecast farmgate payout of $4.60/kgMS may be under threat.
According to Federated Famers, it looks increasingly out of reach after this morning's 1.4% drop in the GDT price index.
Today's result follows a 1.6% fall in the first auction of the year two weeks ago.
"Today's weak GDT result is disappointing and things are certainly looking much worse in terms of the farmgate milk price. We have just seen Open Country Dairy drop its forecast and this result increases the likelihood Fonterra will do the same," says Federated Farmers dairy chair Andrew Hoggard.
"It is still possible that a sudden upswing in prices could get us there, but we'd need to see some very large increases in the next couple of months to reach the $4.60 mark. Even that is a fairly poor payout for most farmers, and falling below that is just going to ramp up the pressure on the dairy industry and those that support it."
But Hoggard is urging farmers to have faith in the GDT model.
"This isn't about the system. It's economics 101. Supply is too high and demand is weak, which is keeping prices down. If kiwi farmers want to lay the blame somewhere they should look offshore to the subsidised production that still exists in too many other countries. Farmers in these markets are increasing production despite the market telling them the opposite."
"Kiwi farmers need this to be addressed and for more trade deals to open up new markets and grow the overall pie. New agreements such as TPP have the potential to make a big difference over time but unfortunately they won't ease the short term pain our dairy farmers are feeling."
Recent rain has offered respite for some from the ongoing drought.
New Zealand's TBfree programme has made great progress in reducing the impact of the disease on livestock herds, but there’s still a long way to go, according to Beef+Lamb NZ.
With much of the North Island experiencing drought this summer and climate change projected to bring drier and hotter conditions, securing New Zealand’s freshwater resilience is vital, according to state-owned GNS Science.
OPINION: Otago farmer and NZ First MP Mark Patterson is humble about the role that he’s played in mandating government agencies to use wool wherever possible in new and refurbished buildings.
For Wonky Box co-founder Angus Simms, the decision to open the service to those in rural areas is a personal one.
The golden age of orcharding in West Auckland was recently celebrated at the launch of a book which tells the story of its rise, then retreat in the face of industry change and urban expansion.
OPINION: Should Greenpeace be stripped of their charitable status? Farmers say yes.
OPINION: After years of financial turmoil, Canterbury milk processor Synlait is now back in business.