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DairyNZ Chief Executive Tim Mackle.
DairyNZ's Tactics campaign continues to support farmers through field days which will be underway in September and October.
These Tactics for Spring events will help farmers extract maximum value from their pasture.
"Pasture First is a message we are promoting with farmers. Our research shows pasture drives in excess of 85% profit for most farms at a $7/kgMS milk price, but 98% at a $4/kgMS milk price. So it makes sense to get our focus clearly set on managing this important feed source well – we've got to make the most of it, particularly this spring," says DairyNZ Chief Executive Tim Mackle.
"While increasing revenue is important, it's even more important to keep hold of as much of it as possible. This means running a tight budget.
"Following on from the huge interest in this area last year, farms with a low cost of production have opened their books once again and revealed their 2016/17 budgets – enabling other farmers to improve their own business, by comparing themselves.
"It's this information sharing which is so important and we will continue to work with our farmers to get through the low milk price cycle."
The first major update to the Dairy Cattle Code of Welfare in more than a decade has been released, marking what DairyNZ describes as an important step in ensuring animal welfare standards continue to evolve alongside scientific evidence and on-farm realities.
DairyNZ deputy chair Cameron Henderson has been re-appointed unopposed for another term.
OPINION: The stats speak for themselves.
Farms across the upper North Island are trialling different pasture mixes as part of a research programme that aims to build greater resilience into farming systems.
The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (the College) and Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network are calling for investment in a proposed new training pathway for rural GPs, warning that many rural practices are struggling to recruit while a large share of the existing workforce nears retirement.
Federated Farmers has called on Central Otago District Council (CODC) to drop or vote down a plan to truck sludge from Alexandra and Cromwell to farmland near Lauder, warning it would compound an "outrageous" situation created by a separate council's decision weeks earlier.
Synlait has swung to second-half profit as operations stabilise, but the dairy processor still posted a $75.4m annual loss.
LIC shareholders have elected a new North Island representative to the co-operative's Board, along with five representatives to its Shareholder Reference Group (SRG), following the company's Annual Meeting held in Invercargill.
Farmers across parts of Southland and South Otago are continuing to deal with difficult conditions after a prolonged run of wet weather, with pressure building around feed supply, stock management, pasture damage, farm infrastructure and everyday workloads.
Federated Farmers says it welcomes Labour's commitment to reviewing the Sharemilking Agreements Act, calling on other major parties to do the same.
