DairyNZ lifts breakeven milk price forecast to $8.68 for 2025/26 season
According to DairyNZ's latest Econ Tracker update, there has been a rise in the forecast breakeven milk price for the 2025/26 season.
Dairy isn’t the backbone of the economy; the environment is, says Fish & Game New Zealand (F&GNZ).
F&GNZ says DairyNZ has “selective memory” in support of polluters and ignores that improving sustainability practices often does not result in a loss of profits for farmers.
Chief executive Martin Taylor says DairyNZ has attempted to dismiss an economic report showing dairy's role in the New Zealand economy is 3% of GDP.
"If DairyNZ wishes to reject a report from the same independent economic consultancy that the dairy sector has previously used to highlight the sector's credibility, that's for them to explain."
"What I will say is that the real backbone of the economy is the environment. New Zealand's economy has been built on the back of the environment, and continued economic prosperity depends on long-term environmental sustainability. Future generations need to continue to be able to benefit from these natural advantages."
F&GNZ says that when DairyNZ CEO Tim Mackle drew attention to the Local Government New Zealand report, he did not include that the report assumed that leaching reductions equated to profit loss. F&GNZ says this is not backed up by on-farm experience.
"Many good farmers have been getting on and improving their practices and have had no loss of profit for doing the right thing.
"It's time Dr Mackle listens to his DairyNZ Chair Jim van der Poel, whom last week said farmers 'don't want to be on the wrong side of history' and that "throwing stones, slamming our fists and stamping our feet may gain some temporary satisfaction. But in our experience, it's ineffective."
F&GNZ says that Dr Mackle should follow the advice of his fellow sector leader group Federated Farmers, whose Senior Policy Advisor Darryl Sycamore said on June 10 that "we need to improve water quality now. It is clearly degraded in some locations."
"DairyNZ have rejected the NZIER report despite supporting previous NZIER reports such as the 2017 NZIER report commissioned by the dairy sector on dairy trade's economic contribution to New Zealand.
"It's time DairyNZ moved to support Government policies for cleaning up our waterways instead of denying the facts and delaying change."
Commercial fruit and vegetable growers are being encouraged to cast their votes in the Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ) board directors' election.
A unique discovery by a Palmerston North science company, Biolumic, looks set to revolutionise the value and potential of ryegrass and the secret is the application of ultraviolet (UV) light.
A New Zealand company is redefining the global collagen game by turning New Zealand sheepskin into a world-class health product.
With further extreme weather on the way, ANZ Bank is encouraging farmers and business owners impacted by the recent extreme weather and flooding to seek support if they need it.
New Zealand must continue to educate Chinese consumers about the unique qualities of its red meat products and how they differ from competitors, says Silver Fern Farms chief executive Dan Boulton.
There are opportunities outside the farmgate for young farmers to further develop their skills, says 2025 Primary Industries Emerging Leader Award winner Bridie Virbickas.
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.