How farmers make spring count
OPINION: Spring is a critical season for farmers – a time when the right decisions can set the tone for productivity and profitability throughout the year.
Ballance Agri-Nutrients has confirmed a farmer rebate of $45 per tonne for the year ending 31 May 2020.
The farmer-owned fertiliser co-op has reported a profit before rebate and tax of $68.9 million.
In total, it will be returning $54 million to its farmer-shareholders.
Total sales volume for the 2020 financial year, including nutrient products, animal feeds and industrial ingredients, were 1.6 million tonnes.
Ballance says it is well positioned to support the primary sector to drive the prosperity of NZ. It says that in 2019, NZ export revenue attributable to the primary sector was over $45 billion, with about $19.8 billion of this revenue dependent on access to nitrogen fertilisers.
The co-op says that the employment of almost 74,000 people in NZ is dependent on nitrogen fertiliser.
“The 2020 financial year has been like no other, with COVID-19 and extreme weather events from floods in the south to drought in the east and north,” says Ballance chairman, David Peacocke.
“We’re entering a new era, and one thing is for sure, we can look forward to a renewed understanding of the value of the primary sector to NZ global economic future and reputation,” he says.
OPINION: What goes up must come down. So, global dairy prices retreating from lofty heights in recent months wouldn’t come as a surprise to many farmers.
Fonterra directors and councillors are in for a pay rise next month.
Federated Farmers says it is cautiously welcoming signals from the Government that a major shake-up of local government is on its way.
Ashburton cropping and dairy farmer Matthew Paton has been elected to the board of rural services company, Ruralco.
The global agricultural landscape has entered a new phase where geopolitics – not only traditional market forces – will dictate agricultural trade flows, prices, and production decisions.
National Lamb Day is set to return in 2026 with organisers saying the celebrations will be bigger than ever.