A rollercoaster ride for Waikato dairy farmers
The 2023-24 season has been a roller coaster ride for Waikato dairy farmers, according to Federated Farmers dairy section chair, Mathew Zonderop.
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.
Bankers have been making record profits in the last few years, but those aren’t the only records they’ve been breaking, says Federated Farmers vice president Richard McIntyre.
The 2023-24 season has been a roller coaster ride for Waikato dairy farmers, according to Federated Farmers dairy section chair, Mathew Zonderop.
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) director general Ray Smith says job cuts announced this morning will not impact the way the Ministry is organised or merge business units.
Scales Corporation is acquiring a number of orchard assets from Bostock Group.
Family and solidarity shone through at the 75 years of Ferdon sale in Otorohanga last month.
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has informed staff it will cut 391 jobs following a consultation period.