End of war on farming, say farmers
Federated Farmers says changes announced to the Resource Management Act today mark the end of the war on farming.
This morning's announcement by Fonterra to drop its forecast payout will lump more pressure on dairy farmers and they will be counting down the days to end of the season.
Federated Farmers dairy industry chair Andrew Hoggard made the comment as Fonterra trimmed its 2015-16 season from $4.15/kgMS to $3.90/kgMS
"More and more farmers will be really feeling the pressure," says Hoggard.
"This cut , which was not unexpected given the string of low auction prices, means we need to be even more pro-active around budgeting and scenario planning, and make the most of the support available from DairyNZ, accountants and farm advisors."
Federated Farmers and DairyNZ will this week commence a series of six regional meetings for sharemilkers and their farm owners. Sharemilkers, particularly those who do not own their herd, are the most vulnerable in the current market conditions.
"Our message to these guys is to stay the course if you possibly can. Some flexibility from farm owners can go a long way, so getting both groups in one room to talk through the options can only be a good thing," says Hoggard.
Hoggard is also calling for the Reserve Bank to cut the official cash rate this Thursday.
"There are already plenty of reasons for the Reserve Bank to cut the OCR. This is another one. Anything that can ease the pressure on farmers' bottom line will help get as many dairy farmers as possible through the current season. There will be a new level of resilience that comes out of what we're experiencing, but that will be lost if farmers are forced out of the industry. Economic factors support a cut in the official cash rate and that would be a welcome boost after today's news."
One of the country's top Māori sheep and beef farms is facing a five-year battle to get back to where it was before Cyclone Gabrielle struck just over 14 months ago.
Graham Brown, the executive chef for Deer Industry New Zealand (DINZ), is excited about Korea.
One of the country's leading experts on China has praised the NZ Government for its handling of the recent incident with China over that country's cyber attack on two of our parliamentary institutions in 2021.
The world’s largest wool processing facility, badly damaged by Cyclone Gabrielle over one year ago, has re-opened following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project.
Kiwi rugby star Renee Holmes is set for a fruitful year.
New Zealand-grown citrus fruit is now hitting supermarket shelves and Citrus NZ says it promises to be one of the best quality and tastiest seasons the country had in years.
OPINION: Talking about plant-based food: “Chicken-free chicken” start-up Sunfed has had its valuation slashed to zero by major investor Blackbird…
OPINION: Synlait's financial woes won’t be going away anytime soon.