While the 2012/13 season will be tough for farmers, Federated Farmers believes it is not as dire as some commentators say.

LONG-TERM PROSPECTS are still bright for sheep and beef despite a big drop in farmer confidence, says Beef+Lamb NZ chairman Mike Petersen.

ALLIANCE ROADSHOWS are always must-see events; the recent cooperative meeting at Milton appeared to have the catchy theme ‘too much for too long.’ It was a message most sheep farmers will quickly recognise as our meat industry leaders prepare us for the inevitable drop in schedule prices, when the season gets under way. 

Some could argue Mike Barton (see main story) was more psychologically prepared when he took over his Taupo catchment farm in 2004. Variation 5 was going to happen and it was just a matter of the thrashing out final details.

FAST GROWING, easily delivered lambs with great survivability and conformation: that’s what you can expect when you use a Southdown ram, says breed society president Blair Robertson.

A more subdued season for pastoral farm business in 2012/13 is predicted by the Ministry for Primary Industries with typical farms models showing dairy profit after tax down 57%, sheep and beef down 15%, but deer getting a boost.

Landcorp Farming expects substantial further growth in last year's record dairy production, through the joint venture with Shanghai Pengxin of China and enlargement of established dairy complexes including Wairakei Estate in the central North Island.

 Meat processors have enough cattle to kill for the capacity that is on and prices have been steady to slightly weaker as a result. 

Despite a softening in the NZ dollar in recent days, export beef slaughter prices are still being hammered at the expense of the exchange rate.

Westpac economists are forecasting global dairy and beef prices to rise on the back of drought in the US and elsewhere.