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.
Physical and mental wellbeing while farming under pressure will be a key subject at the 2015 South Island Dairy Event (SIDE) at Lincoln University from June 22-24.
DairyNZ specialist Dana Carver will speak about “the resilient farmer – keeping yourself strong amidst the ever-increasing pressures of farming”.
Her talk has been presented widely and is said to be popular across New Zealand.
“People love it because it focuses on real-world and farmer-specific solutions to the practicalities of keeping healthy. Telling someone they must sleep well is fine, but what are the practical things you can do for yourself when you’re spending half the night awake and worrying?” she says.
Her statistics will show that a lot more farmers are experiencing excessive stress, and she will talk about why farming is now more stressful than 30 years ago. “We will look at why the stresses are there, and think about what we can do as an industry to change the culture.”
Carver, herself a farmer, will outline research about what to do about stress so farming can be enjoyable. “This is the more exciting research – it focuses on the day-to-day reality of what it means to be healthy and is presented with a farming slant.
“I’m after practical questions from farmers on the detail of how to implement change, like how to fit exercise into a busy lifestyle, and what is needed to plan meals for healthy eating.
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.
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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.