No repeat of last year's 'weird weather'
The El Nino weather pattern is likely to kick in during the last few weeks of February.
The no-show of El Nino has been a boon to farmers supplying Miraka, the Maori owned dairy company located near Taupo.
Chief executive Richard Wyeth says farmers are doing well for grass, but are challenged by the milk payout. His main concern now is the farmer suppliers and how they are coping.
"Suppliers are doing everything they can that's in their control. One told me recently that he was looking to strip costs out wherever possible. Obviously they are going to keep farming but they know that the future of the payout is not great short-term so they just need to pull back on expenditure."
Wyeth says production is down 7% on budget and he expects this trend to continue into next season. It results from farmers reducing cow numbers and feeding fewer supplements to cows during the peak.
"Ironically while production for the season is down, we've had the highest milk output ever for this time of the year. We've had a fantastic summer-autumn. People are still cutting silage which for this area is unheard of."
Wyeth says there is plenty of evidence that farmers are returning to pasture feeding and are using fewer supplements.
Analysis by Dunedin-based Techion New Zealand shows the cost of undetected drench resistance in sheep has exploded to an estimated $98 million a year.
Shipping disruption caused by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea has so far not impacted fertiliser prices or supply on farm.
The opportunity to spend more time on farm while providing a dedicated service for shareholders attracted new environmental manager Ben Howden to work for Waimakariri Irrigation Limited (WIL).
Federated Farmers claims that the Otago Regional Council is charging ahead unnecessarily with piling more regulation on rural communities.
Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.
OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.