Herd production performance soars
New data released by LIC and DairyNZ shows New Zealand dairy farmers have achieved the highest six week in-calf rate and lowest notin- calf rate on record.
A leading exponent of once-a-day milking says it’s important that New Zealand attracts intelligent, keen young people to the dairy industry.
Dairy farmer Leo Vollebregt, of Wairarapa, last week hosted on his farm 35 secondary school teachers from the Wellington region, including careers, science, commerce, maths and English teachers.
This was the fifth such annual trip, organised by DairyNZ’s Susan Stokes and Rural News Group journalist Peter Burke, plus sponsors. They take city teachers into the country and show them farming career opportunities for young people.
As well as visiting the dairy farm, the teachers were taken to a Landcorp sheep and beef farm and an orchard.
Speakers on the day were mostly young graduates from Massey and Lincoln universities and Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre.
Vollebregt says careers advisors are the key means of getting young people interested in farming.
“City people must get on a farm to understand the important opportunities there. You can’t do this by just sitting back in your office in an urban environment.”
Supporting this opinion is Wellington High School science teacher and careers advisor Tony Cains, who described the day as awesome.
Cairns says he now understands that farming requires not just agriculture and horticulture, but science, maths, communications and English.
Farming is a complex business, he now realises.
“Teachers like me didn’t understand the breadth of opportunities and range of careers; we now realise that we should be sending our top students, as well as kids who simply want to work the land, to make careers in the agri sector.”
Animal rights organization, SAFE says the government needs to maintain the ban on live exports.
New findings from not-for-profit food supply and distribution organization, the New Zealand Food Network (NZFN) have revealed a 42% increase in demand for food support in 2023 compared to 2022.
New data released by LIC and DairyNZ shows New Zealand dairy farmers have achieved the highest six week in-calf rate and lowest notin- calf rate on record.
Christchurch City Council and the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association (CAPA) have signed an agreement which will open more of Canterbury Agricultural Park for public use while helping to provide long-term certainty for the A&P Show.
This year’s Fieldays will feature a Rural Advocacy Hub - bringing together various rural organisations who are advocating for farmers and championing their interests as one team, under one roof, for the first time.
ASB head of rural banking Aidan Gent is encouraging farmers to speak to their banks when they are struggling.