Milk Powder Prices Prop Up Farmgate Milk Price
Milk powder prices are keeping farmgate prices up, helping processors offset the dip in milk fat prices.
A firming NZ dollar and more reserved overseas buying combined to lower most prices at this week’s wool auction, says NZWSI.
The weighted currency indicator lifted by 1.04% with 93% of the 6,660 bales on offer selling, says NZWSI marketing executive, Malcolm Ching.
Ching says compared to the South Island sale on September 10, the North Island offering saw fine crossbred full fleece and longer shears ease 4 to 6% with less interest in this sector from the Chinese market currently.
Shorter shears were firm to 1.5% easier, with interest for these types continuing. Coarse full-length fleece were 2.5% cheaper with shears ranging from firm to 3% softer. Oddments were up to 2% easier.
Ching says China continues as the main market influence, supported by Western Europe, Middle East, and Australasia.
The next sale on September 24 comprises about 9,200 bales from the South Island.
LIC shareholders have elected a new North Island representative to the co-operative's Board, along with five representatives to its Shareholder Reference Group (SRG), following the company's Annual Meeting held in Invercargill.
Farmers across parts of Southland and South Otago are continuing to deal with difficult conditions after a prolonged run of wet weather, with pressure building around feed supply, stock management, pasture damage, farm infrastructure and everyday workloads.
Federated Farmers says it welcomes Labour's commitment to reviewing the Sharemilking Agreements Act, calling on other major parties to do the same.
For Canterbury dairy farmers Sian Meijer and Rick Wobben, wearable technology has become one of their most valuable on-farm tools - helping manage 1850 cows across an expansive, high-performing dairy operation while improving efficiency, mating outcomes and day-to-day decision making.
Fonterra has unveiled its annual results for the 2026 financial year, posting $27 billion in revenue and close to $20 billion returned to New Zealand farmer owners and unit holders.
The first major update to the Dairy Cattle Code of Welfare in more than a decade has been released, marking what DairyNZ describes as an important step in ensuring animal welfare standards continue to evolve alongside scientific evidence and on-farm realities.

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