Cuddling cows
OPINION: Years of floods and low food prices have driven a dairy farm in England's northeast to stop milking its cows and instead charge visitors to cuddle them.
If you think labour shortage on New Zealand dairy farms is unique to our country, then think again.
In the US today, 96% of dairy farms are family operations, with more than 87% of those considered small family farms, made up of both family members as well as hired help. That hired help predominantly comes in the form of migrant workers - approximately 73% of non-owner farm and ranch employers in the nation.
Currently farmers are facing a massive labour shortage, and that impact was felt before the Covid-19 pandemic changed the face of nearly every industry in the world.
This immigrant labour force also helps American consumers by helping to keep the price of dairy products low. According to a study by the Center for North American Studies, without migrant labour within the dairy industry, retail milk prices would go up as much as 90%.
Profitability issues facing arable farmers are the same across the world, says New Zealand's special agricultural trade envoy Hamish Marr.
Over 85% of Fonterra farmer suppliers will be eligible for customer funding up to $1,500 for solutions designed to drive on-farm efficiency gains and reduce emissions intensity.
Tighter beef and lamb production globally have worked to the advantage of NZ, according to the Meat Industry Association (MIA).
Groundswell is ramping up its 'Quit Paris' campaign with signs going up all over the country.
Some farmers in the Nelson region are facing up to five years of hard work to repair their damaged properties caused by the recent devastating floods.
Federated Farmers is joining major industry-good bodies in not advocating for the Government to withdraw from the Paris Agreement.
OPINION: Years of floods and low food prices have driven a dairy farm in England's northeast to stop milking its…
OPINION: An animal activist organisation is calling for an investigation into the use of dairy cows in sexuallly explicit content…