Dairy farmer profits to hit record levels in 2025
The profitability of dairy farmers is likely to increase in the coming year, accordign to the latest report by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) on the outlook for the primary sector.
DAIRY FARM effluent is an important resource for nutrients and is here to stay, says Rotorua farmer Trevor Phipps.
Speaking at the Effluent Expo in Hamilton today, Phipps says most dairy farms milk twice a day and will end up with "cow shit" on a daily basis.
"Cow shit is here to stay. We should all treat this as an important resource and we must do it right," he told a seminar on "Making the most of your effluent irrigation".
He told about 40 farmers that it was important for farmers to get it right when irrigating effluent as all eyes were on farmers.
Phipps farms 25km south of Rotorua and a state highway runs along his farm. He says this is a motivation to do things correctly.
"I have tourists, motorists and cyclists travelling up and down the highway daily. Some of them stop to take photos of this green slurry being spread on paddocks.
"Therefore I make sure I get it right."
Another motivation to get effluent irrigation right is to ensure he doesn't fall foul of the regional council. Phipps farm comes under the jurisdiction of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.
He says the council has a legal right to randomly inspect his farm and effluent irrigation practices.
Phipps, who milks 295 cows, says he has written instructions for farm staff when it comes to effluent irrigation.
He also keeps a daily record of paddocks irrigated and the time the irrigator spends on each paddock.
A technical lab manager for Apata, Phoebe Scherer, has won the Bay of Plenty 2025 Young Grower regional title.
Following heavy rain which caused flooding in parts of Nelson-Tasman and sewerage overflows in Marlborough, the Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman Scheme (IFSO Scheme) is urging homeowners and tenants to be cautious when cleaning up and to take the right steps to support claims.
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.
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.