Editorial: Agri's mojo is back
OPINION: Good times are coming back for the primary industries. From sentiment expressed at Fieldays to the latest rural confidence survey results, all indicate farmer confidence at a near-record high.
DAIRY FARMERS in the North Island are facing a stern test. Most regions haven’t had decent rain for two months, pasture has disappeared and milk production is at a trickle.
Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Hawke’s Bay and Bay of Plenty are officially in drought.
One-third of New Zealand’s export receipts come from dairy. So, economists are already talking about a severe blow to our economy.
Northland milk production during February 2013 was 20% lower than February 2012. In the wider Waikato, production for the same month was down 15%. Dairy farmers in Northland will have $13 million less income from milk produced in the month of February 2013 than in the same month a year ago. About $8 million of this cut results from lower milk production, the remainder from lower milk prices.
The world is now also taking notice of our weather woes. Global Dairy Trade prices rose 10%, the biggest rise since June last year.
Farmers in drought-affected regions are drying off cows and keeping a close eye on cow condition.
And there’s more to it than looking after animals: there’s the financial and psychological strain on farmers. The Government’s drought declarations have triggered action by Rural Support Trust chapters in affected regions.
Farmers are not necessarily asking for financial assistance; what they need is someone to turn to. The best help can be a neighbour’s listening ear and his recounting of what he and others are doing to cope. DairyNZ is facilitating this via its farmer networks.
Dairy farmers are a resilient lot. They will work through this as through previous droughts, floods, hurricanes and earthquakes But they need all the support industry partners and communities can provide.
DairyNZ’s advice:
Look after yourself and talk with other farmers in your area
Monitor and record your cow body condition. Make sure you know how to do this or get expert help
Focus on milking on with a core group of cows until it rains
Assess how you can destock
Have a plan for feed, financials and stock, and communicate the plan to your team (family, staff, consultant, banker). Don’t be afraid to change to Plan B if things change
Manage young stock on and off the farm
Talk to your grazier
Attend a DairyNZ dry summer field day
Make best use of your rural professionals.
Two butcheries have claimed victory at the 100% New Zealand Bacon & Ham Awards for 2025.
A Taupiri farming company has been convicted and fined $52,500 in the Hamilton District Court for the unlawful discharge of dairy effluent into the environment.
The Climate Change Commission’s 2025 emissions reduction monitoring report reveals steady progress on the reduction of New Zealand’s climate pollution.
Another milestone has been reached in the fight against Mycoplasma bovis with the compensation assistance service being wound up after helping more than 1300 farmers.
The Government’s directive for state farmer Landcorp Farming (trading as Pamu) to lifts its performance is yielding results.
The move to bring bovine TB testing in-house at Ospri officially started this month, as a team of 37 skilled and experienced technicians begin work with the disease eradication agency.
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