OSPRI writes off $17m over botched traceability system
Animal disease management agency OSPRI has written off nearly $17 million after a botched attempt to launch a new integrated animal disease management and traceability system.
DairyNZ's extension manager Andrew Reid says there’s some truth in the suggestion that a whole generation of farmers have never relied solely on grazing their cows on grass.
He says some have fed nothing but supplements, their use having coincided with the higher farmgate milk prices.
But the last 18 months have been a wake-up call for farmers to rely more on pasture as the main source of feed.
New Zealand farmers’ ability to manage grass pastures gives them a competitive edge over other dairy farmers in the world, Reid says. This is the point of DairyNZ’s Pasture First message.
“The main thing now is for them to grow quality pasture and make efficient use of it. They can’t relax on that and should note what stock demand is and not be as ready as they have been to call in the feed truck,” Reid says.
In this season farmers should “have their finger on the button in terms of their pasture” to ensure during summer they don’t waste opportunities.
Response to the Pasture First message has been good, Reid says, but some farmers find it challenging to implement this philosophy because they appear to lack confidence to run such a system.
“For years people could afford to buy in feed; but now the fundamental message is to have the confidence to make decisions on pasture management because many cannot afford to buy in extra feed. The Pasture First message is getting through; it’s the implementation that requires extra skill.”
The season has so far been pretty variable, Reid says. The weather hasn’t been favourable in the North Island, with rain during spring, while the South Island has had the opposite. But now this is reversing.
“The challenge now is for farmers to lock in the gains they have made in the last 18 months. Their confidence in the lift in the GDT should not be a reason for farmers to take their eye off the ball in terms of the pasture message.
“They should look closely at where their farm working expenses are going and capitalise on the efficiencies from a production perspective.”
Predicting weather is difficult; in hindsight farmers last year took the El Nino forecast too literally. Reid forsees an average summer.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will be fronting farmers at three large public meetings organised by Federated Farmers over the coming weeks.
Federated Farmers and a major Australian-owned bank are at loggerheads over emissions reduction targets set for New Zealand farmer clients.
More locally grown tomatoes are coming to stores this month and you can thank New Zealand greenhouses for that.
Changing skill demands and new job opportunities in the primary sector have prompted Massey University to create a new degree course and add a significant major into another in 2025.
It was bringing in a new Canterbury A&P Association (CAPA) show board, more in tune with the CAPA general committee, that has ensured that Christchurch will have a show this year, says CAPA general committee president Bryce Murray.
OPINION: Hats off to our pipfruit sector.
OPINION: The country's dairy farmers will now also have a hand in providing free lunch for schools.
OPINION: The abrupt departure of Synlait chief executive Grant Watson could be a sign that Chinese company Bright Dairy, the…