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The dairy industry contributed 37% of the total value of New Zealand's primary exports in 2014-15, according to DairyNZ.
This was revealed last week at DairyNZ's annual meeting in Morrinsville.
Dairy earnings for the year totalled $13.2 billion. Waikato remains the dairy heartland with 34% of the herds; it produced $2.4b of milk last year.
The Waikato's 4020 dairy herds produced 518m kgMS in 2014-15, 27% of NZ's total milk production. But Waikato's $2.4b earnings were down $1.8b on the 2013-14 season when the high milk price ($8.47 average payout) boosted the region's coffers by $4.2b.
Outgoing DairyNZ chairman John Luxton says the 2014-15 season's low milk price has affected all farms as owners and sharemilkers strove to remain profitable.
"The value of milk production to Waikato's economy is huge; the region takes a big hit when farmers do," says Luxton.
The North Island had 74% of herds, producing 59% of total milksolids; the South Island 26% of herds but produced 41% of milksolids.
The industry employed 40,730 people during the year; 27,830 worked on farms and 12,900 in processing and wholesaling.
The total number of herds reached 11,970; average herd size was 419. Last year the industry had 5 million cows.
The first major update to the Dairy Cattle Code of Welfare in more than a decade has been released, marking what DairyNZ describes as an important step in ensuring animal welfare standards continue to evolve alongside scientific evidence and on-farm realities.
DairyNZ deputy chair Cameron Henderson has been re-appointed unopposed for another term.
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Farms across the upper North Island are trialling different pasture mixes as part of a research programme that aims to build greater resilience into farming systems.
Federated Farmers says it welcomes Labour's commitment to reviewing the Sharemilking Agreements Act, calling on other major parties to do the same.
For Canterbury dairy farmers Sian Meijer and Rick Wobben, wearable technology has become one of their most valuable on-farm tools - helping manage 1850 cows across an expansive, high-performing dairy operation while improving efficiency, mating outcomes and day-to-day decision making.
Fonterra has unveiled its annual results for the 2026 financial year, posting $27 billion in revenue and close to $20 billion returned to New Zealand farmer owners and unit holders.
The first major update to the Dairy Cattle Code of Welfare in more than a decade has been released, marking what DairyNZ describes as an important step in ensuring animal welfare standards continue to evolve alongside scientific evidence and on-farm realities.
Ravensdown shareholders have elected Jane Montgomery and Kate Acland to the Ravensdown Board for three-year terms, following a closely contested director election.
Federated Farmers says new legislation replacing the Resource Management Act will cut red tape, unlock investment and help grow New Zealand's export-led economy, after the Planning Bill and Natural Environment Bill passed their third reading in Parliament yesterday.
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