DairyNZ lifts breakeven milk price forecast to $8.68 for 2025/26 season
According to DairyNZ's latest Econ Tracker update, there has been a rise in the forecast breakeven milk price for the 2025/26 season.
The dairy industry, along with all primary sectors, are going to have to be very proactive and innovative over the next two to three years to deal with the uncertainties created by Covid-19.
DairyNZ chief executive Tim Mackle told Dairy News that the industry is going to prepare a range of scenarios - from the worst to the best - to deal with the complexities that the Delta and other Covid variants might throw at the sector. He says it's anyone's guess as to what might happen and is important that planning done now to deal with any eventuality.
He says the dairy industry is a really important part of the economic engine that keeps NZ going and it is up to the industry to play its part in securing this objective. Dr Mackle notes that it's remarkable what has happened so far despite the pandemic.
"Last year Fonterra set a record for how much tonnage they exported and that's remarkable, given what happened. A lot of people are working pretty hard to continue to make it happen, including farmers," he says.
Mackle says one of the key reasons for the success of the sector during Covid has been the efforts of the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). He says they have done a magnificent job in advocating for the sector, to ensure common sense prevailed around how farmers and the rural sector could go about its business, pretty much as normal, despite restricted travel between Auckland and the rest of NZ.
"The Director General of MPI, Ray Smith, has been a real breath of fresh air and is a very strong and supportive leader.
"He's set the tone and we feel that MPI is really good ally for us and all the primary sectors. The dairy industry has also got to play its part and not let complacency set in," he says.
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.
Nationwide rural wellbeing programme, Farmstrong recently celebrated its tenth birthday at Fieldays with an event attended by ambassador Sam Whitelock, Farmers Mutual Group (FMG), Farmstrong partners, and government Ministers.
Six industry organisations, including DairyNZ and the Dairy Companies Association (DCANZ) have signed an agreement with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to prepare the country for a potential foot and mouth outbreak.
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.