2024/25 Dairy Statistics: NZ dairy farmers boost production with fewer cows
According to the New Zealand Dairy Statistics 2024/25 report, New Zealand dairy farmers are achieving more with fewer cows.
OPINION: This old mutt notes that rural ginger group Groundswell is turning the heat up on Beef+Lamb NZ and DairyNZ by calling for farmers to ask for their levies back from the hapless levy-funded organisations.
The group has set up a website asking beef & sheep and dairy farmers to 'demand your levy refund'.
"Sick of paying your levies, just to have the levy bodies fail to represent your interests in the advocacy they take to Wellington?" Groundswell asks. "The advocacy you pay for should be based on the feedback from grassroots farmers, rather than selling a predetermined agreement with Government back to farmers."
The Groundswell website allows farmers to invoice DairyNZ and Beef+Lamb for the portion of their levy both outfits spend on advocacy, which the group claims is about one third of the total farmers pay in levies.
Three New Zealand agritech companies are set to join forces to help unlock the full potential of technology.
As the sector heads into the traditional peak period for injuries and fatalities, farmers are being urged to "take a moment".
Federated Farmers says almost 2000 farmers have signed a petition launched this month to urge the Government to step in and provide certainty while the badly broken resource consent system is fixed.
Zespri’s counter-seasonal Zespri Global Supply (ZGS) programme is underway with approximately 33 million trays, or 118,800 tonnes, expected this year from orchards throughout France, Italy, Greece, Korea, and Japan.
Animal owners can help protect life-saving antibiotics from resistant bacteria by keeping their animals healthy, says the New Zealand Veterinary Association.
According to analysis by the Meat Industry Association (MIA), New Zealand red meat exports reached $827 million in October, a 27% increase on the same period last year.

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