Federated Farmers Dairy president Andrew Hoggard is urging farmers to maintain a frugal mindset in the face of disappointing half-year results by processors.

Dairy farmers are being urged to keep their budgets tight.

There is a limit to what farmers can do to improve security on their farms, says Federated Farmers Dairy chairman Andrew Hoggard.

Federated Farmers say the 8.8% drop in the Global Dairy Trade yesterday will be disappointing to New Zealand dairy farmers but it is important not to jump to conclusions.

One in five Fonterra suppliers is on notice to improve the quality of their milking shed water. 

Despite a smaller rise in the global dairy price index last week, farmers will be happy, says Federated Farmers Dairy chairman Andrew Hoggard. He says farmers were hoping for another big rise, similar to the previous two auctions but this did not eventuate.

Federated Farmers dairy chairman Andrew Hoggard says as shareholder of Fonterra he’s heard “didley squat” about the US cheese licence saga.

Many farmers are using social media – notably Twitter – to share information on how best to manage the dry spell.

As usual in summer, some regions are drying out – some are getting extremely dry. The media is running hot with drought stories, from ‘experts’ on social media and in print.

Dairy farmers are still wary despite three successive lifts in global dairy auction prices.