Election Year Curse?
OPINION: The coalition Government seems to have chickened out when it comes to live animal exports by sea.
Federated Farmers Dairy chairman Andrew Hoggard says this morning’s strong rise in global dairy prices is a morale booster for farmers.
Hoggard told Rural News online that things are looking more positive after the GDT price index rose 11.4% and the flagship whole milk powder prices rose a whopping 19.8% to US$3317/tonne.
WMP prices need to stay over US$3000/tonne for farmers to get a decent milk payout and make a profit, he says.
“Let’s hope the prices remain steady,” Hoggard says.
Hoggard also points out that money won’t start flowing to farmers straight away; it would take several months.
GDT key results
Price Index up 11.4%
AMF index up 2.6%, average price US$5,146/MT
Butter index up 4.0%, average price US$4,146/MT
BMP index down 5.4%, average price US$2,248/MT
Ched index up 0.9%, average price US$3,332/MT
LAC index down 4.0%, average price US$755/MT
RenCas index down 4.8%, average price US$6,025/MT
SMP index up 6.5%, average price US$2,329/MT
WMP index up 19.8%, average price US$3,317/MT
New Zealand's diverse cheesemaking talent shone brightly last night as the New Zealand Specialist Cheesemakers Association (NZSCA) crowned the champions of the 2026 New Zealand Cheese Awards.
Tracing has indicated that the source of the first velvetleaf find of the 2025-26 crop season, in Auckland, was likely maize purchased in the Waikato region.
Fish & Game New Zealand has announced its election priorities in its Manifesto 2026.
With the forage maize harvest started in Northland and the Waikato, the Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) is telling growers of later crops, or those further south, to start checking their maize crop maturity about three weeks prior to when they think they will start silage harvesting.
Irrigation NZ is warning that the government's Resource Management Act (RMA) reform risks falling short of its objectives unless water use for food production and water storage infrastructure are clearly recognised in the goals at the top of the new system.
More than five million trays, or 18,000 tonnes, of Zespri’s RubyRed Kiwifruit will soon be available for consumers across 16 markets this season.

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