LIC extends New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards sponsorship
LIC has reaffirmed its sponsorship of the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards (NZDIA) by signing up as a national sponsor for another three years.
Two New Zealand farmer-owned co-ops are jointly offering an alternative revenue stream for farmers through a Wagyu programme.
The LIC and First Light Wagyu scheme enables dairy farmers to cross their dairy cows with Wagyu sires, creating more value for the farmers and a reliable source of export-quality Wagyu stock for First Light.
First Light chief executive Gerard Hickey says the scheme is helping to meet global demand for grass-fed Wagyu.
“The dairy-Wagyu cross creates a desirable product for export, with more of the marbling for which Wagyu beef is renowned. Our experience has shown dairy breeds, including the Kiwicross cow, produce a high quality marbled beef when mated with First Light Wagyu sires,” he says.
“Grass-fed Wagyu beef is increasingly popular with NZ and overseas consumers... who have shown they are willing to pay more for a verified traceable product with the superior eating characteristics of Wagyu.”
LIC’s general manager of biological systems, Richard Spelman, says the scheme enables farmers to see non-replacement calves becoming a valuable product.
“It gives income diversification from calf sales in early spring and provides an alternative to bobby calves. Farmers can extend their existing artificial breeding period to include First Light Wagyu,” says Spelman.
He says the partnership with First Light is happening at an opportune time as interest in dairy-cross beef options is rising.
“It offers new options for dairy farmers and creates high-value beef that fits with the NZ grass-fed story.
“The partnership also connects the dairy and red meat value chains to create an emerging value-added product.”
Alliance has announced a series of capital raise roadshow event, starting on 29 September in Tuatapere, Southland.
State farmer Pāmu (Landcorp) has announced a new equity partnership in an effort to support pathways to farm ownership for livestock farm operators.
Following a recent overweight incursion that saw a Mid-Canterbury contractor cop a $12,150 fine, the rural contracting industry is calling time on what they consider to be outdated and unworkable regulations regarding weight and dimensions that they say are impeding their businesses.
Trade Minister Todd McClay says his officials plan to meet their US counterparts every month from now on to better understand how the 15% tariff issue there will play out, and try and get some certainty there for our exporters about the future.
Brett Wotton, an Eastern Bay of Plenty kiwifruit grower and harvest contractor, has won the 2025 Kiwifruit Innovation Award for his work to support lifting fruit quality across the industry.
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