Former Beef+Lamb NZ CEO appointed head of Foundation for Arable Research
Former chief executive of Beef+Lamb New Zealand Scott Champion will head the Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) from July.
A new communications initiative from Beef + Lamb New Zealand got off to a modest start last month with "about 30" callers dialling into its first Scene + Herd conference call. That tally included media, but excluded BLNZ personnel.
On the call BLNZ chief executive Scott Champion spoke on four topics: the coming year, environment and water including One Plan, best practice on farm, and market access and shifting markets.
Second speaker was Andrew Burt, BLNZ's new chief economist, who spoke on North America, which was where he was based for BLNZ until recently.
"New Zealand [sheep] farmers aren't the only ones facing difficult times... there's been what they call a train wreck in the lamb market there in the last few months," he told callers.
That was forecast and US industry leaders' response is "encouraging", says Burt. A decade or two ago they'd have blamed imports, but now they're saying the market will adjust and they'll get through, he explained.
Given US lambs average a 35-36kg carcase, they're in a different market to New Zealand's imports. "A 25kg carcase is considered small in the US."
Champion and Burt faced questions from callers on levy rates, public expectations of farmers, and the US drought.
The call was facilitated by senior extension manager Aaron Meikle who told Rural News the 51 registrants for this first call "was about our aim" but the number that actually dialled in to the 7.30am session was disappointing. "I want to grow this [monthly call] to at least several hundred online each time."
Encouragingly some callers were farmers who aren't regular participants in other BLNZ activities.
"I really hope this can grow that angle."
Meikle says the cost of the initiative is minimal – "the only charge is the call line" – but some advertising for the next call, October 17, is planned.
"This first call was only [promoted by] email/internet. We're stepping up numbers slowly, just making sure the technology and our systems work smoothly."
Holstein Friesian excellence was front and centre at the 2025 Holstein Friesian NZ (HFNZ) Awards, held recently in Invercargill.
The work Fonterra has done with Ballance Agri-Nutrients Ltd, LIC and Ravensdown to save farmers time through better data connections has been recognised with a national award.
This past week has seen another round of negotiations between India and New Zealand to produce a free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries.
Cautiously optimistic is how DairyNZ's regional manager for the lower North Island, Mark Laurence describes the mood of farmers in his patch.
The Infrastructure Commission has endorsed a plan by Chorus to expand fibre broadband to 95% of New Zealand much to the delight of rural women.
Questions are being raised about just how good the state of the dairy industry is - especially given that the average farmgate payout for the coming season is set to exceed $10/kgMS.
OPINION: Dust ups between rural media and PR types aren't unheard of but also aren't common, given part of the…
OPINION: The Hound hears from his canine pals in Southland that an individual's derogatory remarks on social media have left…