Silver Fern Farms roadshow highlights global demand
The second event in the Silver Fern Farms ‘Pasture to Plate Roadshow’ landed in Feilding last week, headed by chair and King Country farmer, Anna Nelson, and chief executive Dan Boulton.
Meat processor Silver Fern Farms is being forced to divert product away from China as coronavirus ravages its biggest market.
Read: Coronavirus starting to impact meat processing.
SFF chief executive Simon Limmer says it is working with its Chinese partners to monitor the situation on a daily basis.
“We are diverting product to other markets….while short-term these markets deliver lower value returns, and will unfortunately have an impact on upcoming livestock pricing, it will enable us to maintain our ability to process stock.
“While beef and lamb items can be diverted, we have very limited market options for mutton with China the main global market for mutton.”
SFF is reducing mutton processing at its plants from next week and says it recognises the impact of its decision on NZ farmers.
“During peak production and with limited feed availability, the timing of this event is challenging and processing continuity is important,” Limmer says.
He is urging farmers to talk to their SFF representatives for more information.
According to Zespri's November forecast for the 2025/26 season, returns are likely to be up for all fruit groups compared to the last forecast in August.
Next month, wool training will reach one of New Zealand's most remote communities, the Chatham Islands - bringing hands-on skills and industry connection to locals eager to step into the wool harvesting sector.
Farmers' health and wellbeing will take centre stage with a new hub at the 2026 East Coast Farming Expo.
Dannevirke farmer Dan Billing has been announced as the new national chair of Beef + Lamb New Zealand's (B+LNZ) Farmer Council.
A Mid Canterbury beef farm has unlocked a new market for its products thanks to its unusual beef breed, and an award-winning pie taking the district by storm.
The number of beef straws going into dairy cows is on the increase, according to LIC beef genetics product lead Paul Charteris.

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