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Richard McIntyre
Federated Farmers dairy chair Richard McIntyre, who sharemilks in the Horowhenua, says the past year has not been easy.
He says interest rates, rising costs and a lower milk price is stretching farmers' budgets to the limit. He says the first six months of this season were terrible, but a good summer and autumn have seen things pick up. He says getting maize planted was a challenge but says the yield appears to be good, despite the late planting.
McIntyre was one of a few farmers who took a punt and spent extra money and bought supplement specifically to get his cows in good condition for mating and this has worked out well for him. But for him and others, the shortage of skilled labour remains a big problem and one that is not just confined to the farm.
"A lot of our support industries are also short staffed, for example, the people who service tractors. Some are a little less experienced than in the past and so things aren't running efficiently on farm because it's hard to get your tractors fixed. It costs more to do it and it takes longer because there is a shortage of mechanics," he says.
McIntyre says farmers are also concerned about killing space at the works, not only for cull cows but also bobby calves.
Central Otago District Council (CODC) has voted against a plan to spread treated sewage sludge from Cromwell and Alexandra on farmland near Lauder, a decision Federated Farmers says reflects strong opposition from rural residents.
Federated Farmers has called on Central Otago District Council (CODC) to drop or vote down a plan to truck sludge from Alexandra and Cromwell to farmland near Lauder, warning it would compound an "outrageous" situation created by a separate council's decision weeks earlier.
Federated Farmers says new legislation replacing the Resource Management Act will cut red tape, unlock investment and help grow New Zealand's export-led economy, after the Planning Bill and Natural Environment Bill passed their third reading in Parliament yesterday.
Leading figures from the major political parties will be questioned on their primary sector policies at the Rural Issues Debate at Mystery Creek Events Centre, Hamilton, on 30 September.
Will the good times last? That's one of the key issues to come out of the latest Federated Farmers confidence survey.
Waikato milk processor Tatua has again declared a record milk payout to farmer shareholders, leaving other processors in the dust.
A Labour-led Government won’t be bringing back the controversial freshwater rules of 2020.
National’s much-touted free trade deal with India featured in the Rural Issues Debate at Mystery Creek, Hamilton on Wednesday night.
New Zealand's 2026-27 freshwater fishing season has opened, with anglers encouraged to head to rivers and lakes over the coming days as conditions look favourable across much of the country.
Central Otago District Council (CODC) has voted against a plan to spread treated sewage sludge from Cromwell and Alexandra on farmland near Lauder, a decision Federated Farmers says reflects strong opposition from rural residents.
Pāmu has released its FY26 Integrated Annual Report, reporting a Net Operating Profit of $113 million, more than double the $49 million recorded in FY25.
OPINION: It seems Canterbury processor Synlait is still in the doldrums.
OPINION: Get offside with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters at your own peril.
