Dairy sector profit still on the table, but margin gap tightens
DairyNZ’s latest Econ Tracker update shows most farms will still finish the season in a positive position, although the gap has narrowed compared with early season expectations.
OPINION: Your old mate reckons with the looming failure of He Waka Eke Noa (HWEN) it's not only the Government that should take the fall.
He suggests the leadership of industry bodies - particularly Beef+Lamb NZ and DairyNZ - should seriously consider their futures.
Both organisations' leadership and advocacy on behalf of farmers has been poor throughout the whole process.
They failed to get farmers on board, acquiesced to the Government time after time and consistently failed to push back on the sector's behalf.
Former B+LNZ chair Andrew Morrison lost his job when farmers voted him out - due to the HWEN debacle.
Many dairy farmers now believe it is appropriate that DairyNZ chair Jim van der Poel should fall on his sword as he has been at the forefront of pushing the deeply unpopular HWEN.
New Zealand needs a new healthcare model to address rising rates of obesity in rural communities, with the current system leaving many patients unable to access effective treatment or long-term support, warn GPs.
Southland farmers are being urged to put safety first, following a spike in tip offs about risky handling of wind-damaged trees
Third-generation Ashburton dairy farmers TJ and Mark Stewart are no strangers to adapting and evolving.
When American retail giant Cosco came to audit Open Country Dairy’s new butter plant at the Waharoa site and give the green light to supply their American stores, they allowed themselves a week for the exercise.
Fonterra chair Peter McBride says the divestment of Mainland Group is their last significant asset sale and signals the end of structural changes.
Thirty years ago, as a young sharemilker, former Waikato farmer Snow Chubb realised he was bucking a trend when he started planting trees to provide shade for his cows, but he knew the animals would appreciate what he was doing.