Slippery slope
OPINION: It used to be that the National Fieldays attracted brickbats for being officious clipboard carriers, while the regional, farmer-run field…
Just when sheep farmers thought their meat returns could not get any worse some Alliance Group suppliers are about to find out they can.
The Trans Pacific Partnership will eliminate over time most of the tariffs on New Zealand's red meat sector, says Beef + Lamb chairman James Parsons.
A combination of unusual conditions has bothered sheep farmers Hamish and Alastair Craw on their Banks Peninsula farm, Longridge Agriculture Ltd, for 10 years, says Ravensdown.
Rural News asked the country's second biggest meat processor and exporter – Alliance Group – about the current woes in the red meat sector.
White the lamb crop is the lowest since 1953, sheep farmers have become much more productive, says Beef + Lamb NZ chief economist Andrew Burtt.
While the lowest lamb crop in 60 years should support prices, the market is being swamped by other factors at present, says the ASB in its weekly commodities report.
Beef + Lamb NZ estimates 23.9 million lambs were tailed this spring – the smallest lamb crop since 1953.
New Zealand Wool Services International's chief executive John Dawson says the North Island auction received mixed support with the stronger NZ dollar having a limited impact in some areas.

OPINION: It used to be that the National Fieldays attracted brickbats for being officious clipboard carriers, while the regional, farmer-run field…
OPINION: Your old mate welcomes the proposed changes to local government but notes it drew responses that ranged from the reasonable…