New associate director for DairyNZ
After 20 years of milking cows, Northland farmer Greg Collins is ready to step into the governance side of dairy.
DairyNZ chair Jim van der Poel says the latest SOPI report shows that NZ still relies on the agricultural sector for its wealth.
Speaking to Dairy News just after the launch of the report at Fieldays, he pointed out the significance of the fact that more than 80% of NZ's export earnings come from the ag sector. He says, despite the challenges in front of the sector, its contribution continues to grow and be the major contributor to our export earnings.
Van der Poel says its dairy exports that make it possible for Kiwis to buy cars and medicines and all the items that people take for granted. He says if it wasn't for the dairy industry the country would be a very different place.
"People don't connect the dots and realise this," he says.
He says the numbers in the report don't surprise him and says this illustrates just how resilient farmers are, despite the challenges outlined in the SOPI report.
"We have to take the challenges head on and try to work through them. We have confronted these all before and we will continue to find ways through them," he says.
Recent rain has offered respite for some from the ongoing drought.
New Zealand's TBfree programme has made great progress in reducing the impact of the disease on livestock herds, but there’s still a long way to go, according to Beef+Lamb NZ.
With much of the North Island experiencing drought this summer and climate change projected to bring drier and hotter conditions, securing New Zealand’s freshwater resilience is vital, according to state-owned GNS Science.
OPINION: Otago farmer and NZ First MP Mark Patterson is humble about the role that he’s played in mandating government agencies to use wool wherever possible in new and refurbished buildings.
For Wonky Box co-founder Angus Simms, the decision to open the service to those in rural areas is a personal one.
The golden age of orcharding in West Auckland was recently celebrated at the launch of a book which tells the story of its rise, then retreat in the face of industry change and urban expansion.
OPINION: Should Greenpeace be stripped of their charitable status? Farmers say yes.
OPINION: After years of financial turmoil, Canterbury milk processor Synlait is now back in business.