A Northland businessman is developing an environmentally friendly system of cleaning and reusing dairy shed washdown water; he says it will reduce costs and control nitrogen runoff.

ORGANISERS OF the 2015 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards have received 539 entries.

With cashflows tight on dairy farms, pasture comes out on top as the cheapest feed source, says fertiliser co-op Ballance Agri-Nutrients.

Four months ago, we considered several months of downward movements in dairy commodity prices on international markets. 

THE HIGH-INPUT housed dairying that predominates in the US should be a pointer for New Zealand farmers on managing such ventures, says Crowe Horwarth managing principal Neil McAra, Southland.

STATE FARMER Landcorp has appointed Sarah Risell as its general manager marketing.

Much comment surfaces in the media about how much farmers should be paying staff and whether they are paying enough.

It's not something dairy farmers needed right now but the message is clear: change or risk losing your competitive edge in the global market.

THE INTERNATIONAL Dairy Federation (IDF) predicts milk prices will stabilise in the second quarter of 2015.

A BIG fanfare about the recent signing of the free trade agreement between Australia and China includes the hope that China will be the main destination for Australian dairy exports in the next 10 years.