Strong uptake of good wintering practices
DairyNZ has seen a significant increase in the number of farmers improving their wintering practices, which results in a higher standard of animal care and environmental protection.
Keep the dialogue going. That's the message from DairyNZ chairman Jim van der Poel as the Government mulls over how to deal with agricultural emissions before the election.
Van der Poel says they haven't heard anything from government about a proposed fertiliser tax being passed by Parliament before the October election. But he concedes that time is running out to pas any of the He Waka Eke Noa (HWEN) legislation, given the election is only a few months away. He says the idea of a 'fert tax' is not something the industry has talked about and there is no framework developed around such a proposal.
"Pricing is just one aspect of HWEN," he told Dairy News.
He says HWEN includes a much broader range of initiatives, including farmers knowing their emission numbers and having guidelines around these to incentivise farmers to make changes to comply with government requirements. He says, whether HWEN is dead or not, everyone accepts NZ has a commitment internationally to reduce agricultural emissions.
"My message to government is that, in the spirit of the partnership, if we can't stand up HWEN and we believe there is a better way of doing that, we should continue to work together and see what that looks like.
"If you can work together on what that looks like, it's more likely to be enduring. If we start splitting things up it's going to be a mess," he says.
Van der Poel says dairy farmers see themselves as part of the solution; they know they must do their part for NZ to meet its commitments.
But he says it's logical that they want to know what they have to do. If there is a levy, they want to know that money contributes to useful research.
"Farmers take great pride in the fact they have good effluent systems in place, that they are managing their nutrients properly and have fenced off waterways. There are many initiatives taking place on farm and people will buy in what's needed, provided it is logical," he says.
But he says farmers will be less supportive if something that doesn't make sense is imposed on them.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says the relationship between New Zealand and the US will remain strong and enduring irrespective of changing administrations.
More than 200 people turned out on Thursday, November 21 to see what progress has been made on one of NZ's biggest and most comprehensive agriculture research programmes on regenerative agriculture.
The a2 Milk Company (a2MC) says securing more China label registrations and developing its own nutritional manufacturing capability are high on its agenda.
Stellar speakers, top-notch trade sites, innovation, technology and connections are all on offer at the 2025 East Coast Farming Expo being once again hosted in Wairoa in February.
As a guest of the Italian Trade Association, Rural News Group Machinery Editor Mark Daniel took the opportunity to make an early November dash to Bologna to the 46th EIMA exhibition.
Livestock can be bred for lower methane emissions while also improving productivity at a rate greater than what the industry is currently achieving, research has shown.
OPINION: Fonterra may have sold its dairy farms in China but the appetite for collaboration with the country remains strong.
OPINION: The Listener's latest piece on winter grazing among Southland dairy farmers leaves much to be desired.