Dairy farmers welcome NZ’s revised 2050 methane target
The Government's revised 2050 biogenic methane target range of 14-24% by 2050 is being welcomed by dairy farmers.
How many times over the last week have you or anyone on your farm had to wait for something, or spent time searching for a misplaced item?
That's something Sarah Watson and DairyNZ Regional Leader Richard Kyte plan to ask dairy farmers attending the 2016 South Island Dairy Event (SIDE) in Invercargill on June 20 to 22.
SIDE is an annual three-day dairy conference organised by farmers for farmers to learn, network, and find inspiration and motivation. The programme combines stimulating presentations with practical workshops on dairy farming and business management.
The pair are presenting a workshop at SIDE, their mission to help farmers hunt down their own time-wasters, be they searching for a lost tool, not being able to finish a task on-time because you're waiting for something, or having to reorder drugs because they're run passed their use-by date.
While these examples are seemingly small, they can add up, its improving time efficiency that makes the day-to-day work easier and less stressful, improves productivity, and ultimately boosts the bottom line.
PeopleMAD owner Ms Watson has been running the Dairy NZ FarmTune programme, and has seen farms save up to half an hour a milking per person each day simply by identifying waste then fine-tuning the process.
She and Mr Kyte plan to give farmers some take home tips on lean thinking to help focus their energy on the things that matter, add value to the business and help the whole team to operate efficiently.
"Everyone will have something they can improve; we're just equipping workshop attendees with the tools needed to objectively look at their systems with their teams to find what their own time issues are."
"There are a lot of things impacting on the business which are outside our control – this is one positive way of taking back some control and hopefully influencing profitability. And the beauty of this way of reviewing day-to-day operations and noticing the waste is that it costs nothing."
SIDE organisers are urging South Island farmers to take time off and attend this year's event, as now, more than ever, is the time to talk, share ideas, and benefit from social interaction with peers.
Acclaimed fruit grower Dean Astill never imagined he would have achieved so much in the years since being named the first Young Horticulturist of the Year, 20 years ago.
The Ashburton-based Carrfields Group continues to show commitment to future growth and in the agricultural sector with its latest investment, the recently acquired 'Spring Farm' adjacent to State Highway 1, Winslow, just south of Ashburton.
New Zealand First leader and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has blasted Fonterra farmers shareholders for approving the sale of iconic brands to a French company.
A major feature of the Ashburton A&P Show, to be held on October 31 and November 1, will be the annual trans-Tasman Sheep Dog Trial test match, with the best heading dogs from both sides of the Tasman going head-to-head in two teams of four.
Fewer bobby calves are heading to the works this season, as more dairy farmers recognise the value of rearing calves for beef.
The key to a dairy system that generates high profit with a low emissions intensity is using low footprint feed, says Fonterra program manager on-farm excellence, Louise Cook.

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