Rewarding farmers who embrace sustainability
Winners of DairyNZ’s Sustainability and Stewardship awards in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards have their eyes firmly fixed on progressing a positive future for New Zealand dairy.
Lower milk production around the world will help keep the farmgate milk price high, says DairyNZ chairman Michael Spaans.
Opening the DairyNZ Farmers Forum in Taranaki today, Spaans noted that milk production had slowed in Europe and Australia.
While the US was still producing more milk, most of it was being absorbed by the domestic market.
Spaans says milk production across the globe, particularly Europe, has been constrained by lower milk prices …”quite a good thing for us”.
“When we find it tough, we have the resilience to keep going…. places like Europe and other producers who rely a lot on grain, they actually find it a lot tougher.
“We see it is holding back growth of milk production in Europe and this is certainly going to help our milk price going forward.”
Spaans noted that Australian milk production was “bit of a mess”, dipping quite significantly.
“The US is looking quite solid and growing but a lot of production is being absorbed by the domestic market; some milk is now starting to come into the world market.”
While milk production has slowed, global demand remains strong.
But Spaans had a word of caution for farmers; things can change quickly.
“From the lessons learnt during the last few seasons, we know these things change and we know that opening forecast can be wrong.”
He says farmers also know prices could move around during the year.
“We should ensure we farm profitably, remain cautious and use extra cash, if it does come through, wisely.”
South Waikato farm manager Ben Purua’s amazing transformation from gang life to milking cows was rewarded with the Ahuwhenua Young Maori Farmer award last night.
Bankers have been making record profits in the last few years, but those aren’t the only records they’ve been breaking, says Federated Farmers vice president Richard McIntyre.
The 2023-24 season has been a roller coaster ride for Waikato dairy farmers, according to Federated Farmers dairy section chair, Mathew Zonderop.
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) director general Ray Smith says job cuts announced this morning will not impact the way the Ministry is organised or merge business units.
Scales Corporation is acquiring a number of orchard assets from Bostock Group.
Family and solidarity shone through at the 75 years of Ferdon sale in Otorohanga last month.