Dairy farmer profits to hit record levels in 2025
The profitability of dairy farmers is likely to increase in the coming year, accordign to the latest report by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) on the outlook for the primary sector.
A WESTLAND District Council–Westland Milk Products partnership is proposing a $5 million upgrade to the Hokitika supply to meet the growing demands of the dairy company for high quality water.
If approved, the project will see the Westland District Council upgrade its water treatment plant at Blue Spur, Hokitika. The council would raise a five-year loan to fund the construction but recover 100% of that cost via a targeted water rate charged to Westland Milk Products.
Westland chief executive Rod Quin says the dairy cooperative's continuing increases in productivity means its demands for water have significantly increased.
"In 1968 when Westland Milk Products began processing on its current Hokitika site, our requirement for potable water was in the tens of thousands of litres per day. Today, at peak season, we require five million litres per day."
By 2020, Quin says, Westland's continued growth will mean that the company alone will require seven million litres of potable water per day. When combined with the town water volume, the draw would be more than the current capacity of the Hokitika water supply plant.
Quin says the proposed partnership plan would produce a good outcome for council, ratepayers and Westland Milk products. "The upgrade plan as outlined for Blue Spur would improve the council's contingency plans for water supply to Hokitika, should the Lake Kaniere line fail. So it is an investment in the town's water supply security.
Westland Milk Products gains the advantage of being able to utilise the council's proven expertise at building and maintaining a quality potable water supply, and ratepayers benefit by having this improvement to their water supply funded through a special rate against our company."
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.