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OPINION: The late Sir Rob Muldoon once famously quipped that the plane loads of Kiwis jumping the ditch to live in Australia "raised the IQ of both countries".
The 'brain drain' to Aus continues, with a net migration loss of 27,000 people from NZ to Australia in 2023, says Stats NZ.
Curious to see if the grass is greener for dairy farmers considering the lucky country, an Aussie analyst found that, on average 'VIC/TAS irrigated' farmland cost AU$26,250/ha versus 'NZ Irrigated' at AU$48,000; wintering costs in Tasmania are $27/cow/week versus $40/cow/week in NZ; and NZ has more 'red tape'.
On the flip side, NZ's cost of production is lower and Aus has both stamp duty & capital gains tax.
His summary: "farming is bloody tough anywhere!"
OPINION: Your old mate hears that at a recent China Business Summit, PM Christopher Luxon delivered a none-too-subtle "could try harder" report card on the red meat industry regarding its exports to China - particularly when compared to Australia.
OPINION: According to media reports, the eye-watering price of butter has prompted Finance Minister Nicola Willis to ask for a 'please explain' from her former employer Fonterra.
OPINION: As India negotiates to open its borders to more global products, dairy is proving a sticky issue.
OPINION: Paranoia about foreigners is at an all-time high in the US and attention is now turning to foreign-owned farmland.
Acclaimed fruit grower Dean Astill never imagined he would have achieved so much in the years since being named the first Young Horticulturist of the Year, 20 years ago.
The Ashburton-based Carrfields Group continues to show commitment to future growth and in the agricultural sector with its latest investment, the recently acquired 'Spring Farm' adjacent to State Highway 1, Winslow, just south of Ashburton.
New Zealand First leader and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has blasted Fonterra farmers shareholders for approving the sale of iconic brands to a French company.
A major feature of the Ashburton A&P Show, to be held on October 31 and November 1, will be the annual trans-Tasman Sheep Dog Trial test match, with the best heading dogs from both sides of the Tasman going head-to-head in two teams of four.
Fewer bobby calves are heading to the works this season, as more dairy farmers recognise the value of rearing calves for beef.
The key to a dairy system that generates high profit with a low emissions intensity is using low footprint feed, says Fonterra program manager on-farm excellence, Louise Cook.
OPINION: Microplastics are turning up just about everywhere in the global food supply, including in fish, cups of tea, and…
OPINION: At a time when dairy prices are at record highs, no one was expecting the world's second largest dairy…
