Keeping a watch on dairy farms
OPINION: Dairy farmers are under increasing pressure to safeguard their livestock, equipment and operations from a range of security threats.
TV news coverage of terrible bobby calf treatment by a callous minority of people reminds us of a harsh truth: the dairy industry has committed enemies.
These enemies will ruthlessly use such coverage to taint the entire industry – even those who play by the rules.
Animal rights activist Hans Kriek and SAFE were involved in the hidden camera operation that led to the story, so they knew when the TV coverage was coming and on the night the story ran were already bombarding social media with pre-prepared material saying the dairy industry abused animals – not a minority of farmers, the entire industry! Predictably next morning they spoon-fed journalists with the same messages.
That's how these groups play this game, making it all the more vital that the decent majority of dairy farmers do everything they can to weed out the indecent minority who give the knockers and haters the ammunition they seek to harm dairying.
Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford says the 2025 Fieldays has been one of more positive he has attended.
A fundraiser dinner held in conjunction with Fieldays raised over $300,000 for the Rural Support Trust.
Recent results from its 2024 financial year has seen global farm machinery player John Deere record a significant slump in the profits of its agricultural division over the last year, with a 64% drop in the last quarter of the year, compared to that of 2023.
An agribusiness, helping to turn a long-standing animal welfare and waste issue into a high-value protein stream for the dairy and red meat sector, has picked up a top innovation award at Fieldays.
The Fieldays Innovation Award winners have been announced with Auckland’s Ruminant Biotech taking out the Prototype Award.
Following twelve years of litigation, a conclusion could be in sight of Waikato’s controversial Plan Change 1 (PC1).
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