Move over ham, here comes lamb
It’s official, lamb will take centre stage on Kiwi Christmas tables this year.
OPINION: A mate of yours truly wants to know why the beef schedule differential is now more than 45-50 cents a kilo between North and South Island producers – if you look at February 2024 steer prices.
As they told your old mate: “This equates to one in 12 steers going to the meat co-operative or company courtesy of the southern producers.”
They also suggest that the meat companies need to be far more transparent about why there is such a huge differential.
“Is it to help inefficient marketing and processing to compete with the northern companies,” they ask? “It has got to stop. We have heard all the old pathetic excuses over the years and remember they also make good money out of by-products, pharmaceuticals and hides etc – which are not disclosed."
These are all fair questions and the meat companies need to answer them pronto!
In advance of the Budget, Finance Minister Nicola Willis put a clear damper on expectations and delivered accordingly.
Farmers should be cautiously optimistic as the 2026/27 season kicks off, says DairyNZ.
RaboResearch senior analyst Emma Higgins expects the 2026/27 dairy season to be another profitable one.
The new dairy season is kicking off with plenty of risks to the forecast farmgate price, both upside and downside, says ANZ agricultural economist Matt Dilly.
A potential showdown between the top two Federated Farmers leaders looms at the farmer lobby's annual meeting later this month.
FarmIQ Systems has developed a free land management app to help remove barriers to New Zealand farmers and growers adopting digital tools.

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OPINION: To a chorus of crying greenies, and not a minute too soon, the Government has moved to put the…