Pressure on Jacinda Ardern over water quality amid farmer well-being concern – Pattrick Smellie:
Suddenly, farmers’ mental health is in the news again.
It’s not sensationalist or alarmist. It’s a fact.
A growing number of farmers are feeling massive personal pressure from several directions, with the greatest source of that pressure being felt as the Government’s agenda to make agriculture contribute to cleaner water and climate change action.
It may not be totally rational. Global prices for our key agricultural commodities are currently high and include a very healthy-looking dairy payout in the season ahead. Export returns are further assisted by a weak Kiwi dollar. . .
2020 Zanda McDonald Awards finalists announced:
Things are heating up for the prestigious Zanda McDonald Award, with one Australian and two New Zealanders announced today as the three finalists for the 2020 trophy.
The trans-Tasman award is widely seen as a badge of honour in agriculture, recognising passionate and outstanding young professionals working in the sector.
The 2020 finalists are Dr Elle Moyle, 29, from Victoria, Jack Raharuhi, 27, from Westport NZ, and James Robertson, 22, from Auckland NZ. The three were selected from a shortlist of six applicants, who were interviewed by the judging panel last month in Wellington. . .
“Farmers barely covering interest costs’ – Westpac boss David McLean :
Some heavily indebted dairy farmers are barely covering their interest payments despite relatively strong prices for several seasons, Westpac NZ chief executive David McLean says.
“The ones who’ve got more leverage, most of those are still covering their cost of production but some of them are close to the edge,” he says.
“Their interest cover isn’t that great – there are a lot of farmers who are doing it tough and there’s not a lot of buffer.” . .
Dairy prices should bring some cheer as bankers get tougher on farmers and govt further burdens them – Point of Order:
The sun may be shining again on NZ’s dairy industry: spirited bidding at the latest global dairy trade auction backs up Fonterra’s move last month to lift the projected payout range to $6.55-$7.55 kg/MS.
The average GDT price rose 3.7% to $US3446 a tonne, with the key products WMP up 3.6% to $US3254, and SMP 6.7% to $US2924.
WMP prices, after dipping mid-year, have remained above the important $US3000/tonne level since July. ANZ in a market commentary noted the auction outperformed expectations. Futures prices have steadily lifted since the previous GDT event in October. . .
BioBrew delivers probiotic technology to support dairy farms:
CalfBrew improves profitability while reducing the need for antibiotics and other problematic synthetic inputs.
A small NZ company, BioBrew Ltd, has developed a novel approach to probiotics that delivers a very strong ROI and increases the sustainability of NZ dairy farms.
Developed with the assistance of Lincoln University and with funding from Callaghan Innovation and the Sustainable Farming Fund, CalfBrew delivers the finest probiotic technology available. CalfBrew improves profitability while reducing the need for antibiotics and other problematic synthetic inputs. . .
Meet the winners of the New Zealand International Business Awards 2019:
A Canterbury business creating a high-value, top-dollar future for merino wool has won the Supreme Award at the New Zealand International Business Awards 2019, leading a stellar list of category winners.
Based in Christchurch, The New Zealand Merino Company Limited is an integrated sales, marketing and innovation company for merino wool, and the world’s leading supplier of ethical wool through its accreditation brand, ZQ Merino.
The company aims to help transform merino wool from a commodity into a high-value fibre, working with brands to create unique design-led and R&D-based products that incorporate merino wool, and in turn helping growers to get better returns. . .