Milk price certainty
Westland Milk has reaffirmed its commitment to pay farmer suppliers 10c above Fonterra farm gate milk price for the following two seasons.
The Hokitika based dairy company, Westland Milk Products has put in place its flood response plan ahead of a predicted Red storm alert for the West Coast of the South Island.
Met Service says over the next few days the Buller area can expect between 350 to 450mm of rain in the ranges and up to 230mm near the coast and in the case of Westland between 500 to 700mm of rain in the ranges and up to 250mm near the coast.
The CEO of WMP, Richard Wyeth told Rural News that when we get a red civil defence warning they automatically put a response plan in place to get everyone prepared and to carefully monitor the situation. He says this is to ensure that they can react in a more prepared fashion rather than just being reactive.
“A number of roads to farms we collect milk from are basically single entry so if the road gets washed out or closed it can be very difficult to get milk out,” he says.
Richard Wyeth says this also applies to staff, and in particular tanker drivers and in the past they have had to helicopter them from home to their base to pick up a milk tanker and get on the road. He says they have learned from past storm events about the need to be prepared and this is what they are doing now.
“Hopefully this event won’t be that extreme but we are on watch right now,” he says.
Watch this website for updates on this event.
Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford is claiming “some real success” on the 12 policy priorities it placed before the Coalition Government.
Federated Farmers is throwing its support behind the Fast-track Approvals Bill introduced by the Coalition Government to enable a fast-track decision-making process for infrastructure and development projects.
The latest report from ANZ isn’t good news for sheep farmers: lamb returns are forecast to remain low.
Divine table grapes that herald the start of a brand-new industry in Hawke’s Bay have been coming off vines in Maraekakaho.
In what appears to be a casualty of the downturn in the agricultural sector, a well-known machinery brand is now in the hands of liquidators and owing creditors $6.6 million.
One of New Zealand’s deepest breeder Jersey herds – known for its enduring connection through cattle with the UK’s longest reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II – will host its 75th anniversary celebration sale on-farm on April 22.