Dairy power
OPINION: The good times felt across the dairy sector weren't lost at last week's Beef + Lamb NZ annual meeting.
This is just the start of our industry trying to understand and quantify how much farmers are investing in environmental actions.
We are also collating actions from our Sustainable Milk Plan projects to keep a record of what farmers are doing around the country and the difference their investments are making.
This is the first time we’ve done this kind of survey and it gives us a broad brush indication of what is being done on the ground, based on what the more than 500 farmers who responded have told us.”
“The survey attracted a particularly good response rate from Marlborough-Canterbury dairy farmers of 7.7%. That region’s farmers had spent an average of over $170,000 per farm in in the past five years. Otago-Southland dairy farmers were not far behind with 6.5% responding, and having spent on average over $150,000 per farm.”
“It’s clear there is a significant commitment from New Zealand dairy farmers to farming responsibly and investing in actions that make a difference to managing their farms’ environmental impact.”
• Tim Mackle is chief executive of DairyNZ.
The drought breaking rain in Northland was greeted with much joy and delight by the more than 200 people who turned out last week for a field day at the farm of Whangaroa Ngaiotonga Trust near the east coast settlement of Whangaruru, about 70km from Whangarei.
Federated Farmers supports a review of the current genetic technology legislation but insists that a farmer’s right to either choose or reject it must be protected.
New Zealand’s top business leaders are urging the US Administration to review “unjustified and discriminatory tariffs” imposed on Kiwi exporters.
New tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump signal an uncertain future, but New Zealand farmers know how to adapt to changing conditions, says Auriga Martin, chief executive of Farm Focus.
A global trade war beckons, which is bad news for a small open economy like New Zealand, warns Mark Smith ASB senior economist.
Carterton's Awakare Farm has long stood as a place where family, tradition and innovation intersect.