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Andrew Hoggard says claims that New Zealand dairy farmers are subsidised are false.
Andrew Hoggard says claims that New Zealand dairy farmers are subsidised are false.
He says detractors of the dairy industry like to claim we are subsidised because of the negative externalities of our industry.
"To them I point out that in Europe those farmers get support payments for environmental issues whereas NZ farmers meet the full cost of those initiatives; the joint Federated Farmers – DairyNZ survey found that in the last decade NZ farmers had [spent about] $1 billion in environmental initiatives.
"People may also point to the irrigation fund as a subsidy. But when you have to pay it back it's called a loan not a subsidy."
Hoggard says he has seen plenty of other comments that NZ increased its production during the last decade, so why can't others?
"Yes, we increased our production but we did so based on the economic reality. The market, through increased prices, said it wanted more dairy, so we responded with increased production. Right now the market is saying the opposite, and at this stage we have responded and our production is down -- though with all this rain many of you... have received we may not be down by as much as predicted.
"If Europe wants to have a social welfare system for tractor driving beneficiaries that's its business but it becomes our business when that system has distorting and negative effects on world trade."
DairyNZ has pulled together tactics that will help farmers improve on-farm efficiency and have positive benefits for the environment. These tactics are based on research, data, and lessons from leading farmers.
The design and construction of an effective dairy effluent system is a complex process.
After serving three as a DairyNZ director, Waikato farmer Chris Lewis is ready for another term.
DairyNZ has announced the date for its six-yearly Milksolids Levy vote, which will take place from Monday, 16 February to Friday, 13 March 2026.
DairyNZ has announced the date for its upcoming Milksolids Levy vote.
Brett Wotton, an Eastern Bay of Plenty kiwifruit grower and harvest contractor, has won the 2025 Kiwifruit Innovation Award for his work to support lifting fruit quality across the industry.
Academic Dr Mike Joy and his employer, Victoria University of Wellington have apologised for his comments suggesting that dairy industry CEOs should be hanged for contributing towards nitrate poisoning of waterways.
Environment Southland's catchment improvement funding is once again available for innovative landowners in need of a boost to get their project going.
The team meeting at the Culverden Hotel was relaxed and open, despite being in the middle of calving when stress levels are at peak levels, especially in bitterly cold and wet conditions like today.
A comment by outspoken academic Dr Mike Joy suggesting that dairy industry leaders should be hanged for nitrate contamination of drinking/groundwater has enraged farmers.
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