increase font size
Sir Lockwood Smith
Sir Lockwood Smith is full of praise for the efficiency of the sheep industry, saying they have done a great job over the years.
He highlights the way they have brought in genes from all sorts of breeds and incorporated these into our base Romney flock.
This has included improving the fertility of the national flock and using terminal sires to improve the growth rate of our lambs, so they are more productive and carbon efficiency.
"Our lamb production is outstandingly good, but our beef industry is miles behind. We still have farmers in NZ who don't have yearling heifers. How can you have carbon efficiency if you don't mate a heifer until she is two years old? Some farmers might say it's difficult, but we have got to do it and we have got to produce animals that can do it," he says.
The big shift that's needed globally, says Smith, is to look at carbon emissions in relation to the nutrient value of a product.
He says when you measure cow's milk and oat milk this way, the cow's milk clearly comes out on top.
He says if NZ and other countries could tie their emissions to this criterion there would be significant progress globally on climate change.
The New Zealand-India Free Trade Agreement concluded in December is "a significant step toward unlocking one of the world's largest and fastest growing consumer markets", says New Zealand Winegrowers Chief Executive Philip Gregan.
Trade is important to our industry, whether it’s because 90% of our wine sales are in international markets, because of the international tourists who spend money at our cellar doors, or because of the equipment we source from overseas to operate our wineries and vineyards.
Leading trade analyst Stephen Jacobi has rubbished claims that New Zealand could have got a better free trade deal with India if it had prolonged the negotiations.
Additional tariffs introduced by the Chinese Government last month on beef imports should favour New Zealand farmers and exporters.
It’s official, lamb will take centre stage on Kiwi Christmas tables this year.
Tickets are now available for Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s (B+LNZ) Out the Gate, returning from 19-21 May 2026 at Te Pae, Christchurch.
Dairy Women's Network (DWN) is welcoming AgriHealth as a new partner.
Northland Field Days patron Ross Newlove remembers the inaugural field days he attended 40 years ago.
Southland farmer Murray Donald has been appointed as chair of Safer Farms, the industry-led organisation focused on reducing harm, injuries and fatalities in the agricultural sector.
National Lamb Day returns this Sunday, 15 February, with Beef + Lamb New Zealand Inc calling on Kiwis to fire up their barbecues and celebrate the people and the product that put New Zealand on the world map.
When it comes to arranging the sound system at Northland Field Days, no one does it better than Colin Finlayson.
OPINION: Here w go: the election date is set for November 7 and the politicians are out of the gate…
OPINION: ECan data was released a few days ago showing Canterbury farmers have made “giant strides on environmental performance”.
