fbpx
Print this page
Tuesday, 08 July 2025 11:23

That old chestnut

Written by  Milking It

OPINION: Just as it's healthy for cockies to get out of the shed and off the farm occasionally to get a fresh perspective, Milking It reckons some academics would benefit from spending a few days in the real world.

You can set your watch to it; when dairy farmers finally get a good farmgate price, some wonk will attack them for 'profiteering' on the domestic market because the price of their cheddar wedges goes up, Auckland uni professor Rob MacCulloch is just the latest to roll out the old socialist chestnut that farmers should sell locally at a lower price than they can get overseas.

No mention of the fact NZ dairy farms are privately owned businesses, built by hard-working risk takers; they're not communist state assets.

And when dairy farmers make a loss, the MacCullochs of the world are strangely silent.

More like this

It's all about economics

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.

Red line on dairy

OPINION: As India negotiates to open its borders to more global products, dairy is proving a sticky issue.

Farmland security

OPINION: Paranoia about foreigners is at an all-time high in the US and attention is now turning to foreign-owned farmland.

Cuddling cows

OPINION: Years of floods and low food prices have driven a dairy farm in England's northeast to stop milking its cows and instead charge visitors to cuddle them.

Featured

Editorial: A new era for two co-ops

OPINION: Farmer shareholders of two of New Zealand's largest co-operatives have an important decision to make this month and what they decide could change the landscape of the dairy and meat sectors in New Zealand.

South Taranaki rural health hub boosts workforce

As the first of a new series of interprofessional rural training hubs opened in South Taranaki late September, Rural Health Network has celebrated the move as a "key pathway to encourage the growth and retention of health professionals in rural areas".

National

Machinery & Products

New McHale terra drive axle option

Well-known for its Fusion baler wrapper combination, Irish manufacturer McHale has launched an interesting option at the recent Irish Ploughing…

Amazone unveils flagship spreader

With the price of fertiliser still significantly higher than 2024, there is an increased onus on ensuring its spread accurately at…