Fonterra Whareroa sets cheese record, wins top award
Fonterra Whareroa wrapped up a successful season with a record-breaking cheese production volume and several gongs at the co-op's annual Best Site Cup awards.
The dairy industry is much improved compared with what it was 18 months ago, according to accountant Pita Alexander.
He says Fonterra has made some major changes which he thinks are going to be productive, but he says the future of the NZ dairy sector is all about China.
"That is imponderable; you can't guess what's going to happen. China has been good for us, and you could argue we should have diversified more, but their prices were so much higher than the others that you would be a fool not to take," he says.
Looking to the 2024/25 season, Alexander believes farmers need a payout of at least $8.40/kgMS. He says a lot of people will survive on less but believes a typical payout should be $8.40.
Finally, Alexander has some special advice for dairy farmers: above all, get your kids well educated because not all will come home to the farm. He says education has never been so important and there is nothing wrong with the $40,000 student loan which can be paid back over time.
His other piece of key advice is to attend seminars, conferences and field days where farmers can pick up invaluable knowledge to help them through a crisis.
Newly elected Federated Farmers meat and wool group chair Richard Dawkins says he will continue the great work done his predecessor Toby Williams.
Hosted by ginger dynamo Te Radar, the Fieldays Innovation Award Winners Event put the spotlight on the agricultural industry's most promising ideas.
According to DairyNZ's latest Econ Tracker update, there has been a rise in the forecast breakeven milk price for the 2025/26 season.
Despite the rain and a liberal coating of mud, engines roared, and the 50th Fieldays Tractor Pull Competition drew crowds of spectators across the four days of the annual event.
Nationwide rural wellbeing programme, Farmstrong recently celebrated its tenth birthday at Fieldays with an event attended by ambassador Sam Whitelock, Farmers Mutual Group (FMG), Farmstrong partners, and government Ministers.
Six industry organisations, including DairyNZ and the Dairy Companies Association (DCANZ) have signed an agreement with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to prepare the country for a potential foot and mouth outbreak.
OPINION: It's official, Fieldays 2025 clocked 110,000 visitors over the four days.
OPINION: The Federated Farmers rural advocacy hub at Fieldays has been touted as a great success.