Dairy

DairyNZ supports winter grazing solutions proposed

DairyNZ supports recommendations to the Government from an advisory group looking to improve winter grazing rules for farmers and achieve better environmental outcomes. The Southland Advisory Group was formed after concern from farmers and sector organisations that a number of new winter grazing rules were impractical, challenging to meet and costly for councils to implement. The rules are part of the Government’s National Environmental Standard for Freshwater. “While we support the intent of the Government’s regulations, which is to protect the environment, the rules need to be fair, reasonable and achievable,” said DairyNZ strategy and investment leader Dr David Burger. “We are pleased to have worked with farmers and sector organisations to develop clear and practical recommendations for on-farm wintering actions which will lead to better outcomes for the environment and local communities.” The advisory group is made up of two farmer representatives and representatives from DairyNZ, Beef + Lamb New Zealand, Environment Southland, Federated Farmers and Fish and Game. It was formed after farmers expressed their concerns about the regulations, wanting fair and pragmatic solutions. “This collaborative approach is the way forward for developing regional council plans as the National Environmental Standard for Freshwater takes effect over the next few years,” said Dr Burger. “We know farmers have made significant strides in improving their wintering planning and care for the environment and animals, and acknowledge there’s more to do – we are on the journey.” The group is unanimous in its recommendations, which have been presented to the Minister for the Environment David Parker and the Minister of Agriculture Damien O’Connor. Taking onboard the areas of concern from farmers, DairyNZ and the other advisory group members have recommended to the Government these changes be made: The group agrees that farm plans are the future for managing freshwater and whilst […]

New analysis highlights dairy’s economic contribution

The dairy sector is encouraged by today’s GDP results that emphasise New Zealand’s economic rebound amid Covid-19. The dairy sector is playing a key role in a stable economy, contributing nearly one in every four dollars earned from total goods exports and services in the year to September 2020. Recent Sense Partners analysis, for DairyNZ and DCANZ, shows the sector is delivering $20 billion in export value. “Today’s GDP rebound may be a short-term benefit from the recovery in retail spending, wage subsidy and a hot housing market. So, it is important we don’t forget to focus on export-led growth moving forward,” said DairyNZ chief executive Dr Tim Mackle. “Dairy’s sustained economic contribution is a key factor in the country’s Covid-19 recovery, but tourism will also become increasingly important again as borders open. Importantly, dairy sector growth is supporting wage growth in regional New Zealand. “Dairy provides long-term stability for our communities. Export earnings translate to well-paying jobs, but also support farmers and dairy companies to purchase more than $22.5b worth of goods and services from other industries,” said Dr Mackle. At a community level, in 2019 the dairy sector accounted for more than 5 percent of GDP in seven regions – and more than 10 percent in four of those. West Coast has the greatest GDP from dairy, at 16 percent. “In dollar terms, this equates to dairy contributing more than $100 million to GDP in most regions – including nearly $2 billion in Canterbury and $2.5 billion in Waikato. This is especially significant because of the limited scale of other high-value export sectors in rural New Zealand.” The dairy sector is a significant employer in many districts, accounting for up to one-third of jobs in Waimate, and as many as one in four jobs in South Taranaki and […]

Hottest new dairy technology designed here

Technology designed to bring the power of intelligent communication and unprecedented future proofing to dairy farmers’ milking systems. The product is a newly designed product known as the Bail Marshal. The New Zealand owned company’s Chief Executive Dean Bell says the innovative product has been designed to enable all technology devices on a milking system to work together seamlessly and continually communicate with each other. “I believe the Bail Marshal will be the hottest new dairy technology device farmers will find they absolutely have to have,” Mr Bell says. Waikato Milking Systems is the largest 100% New Zealand owned dairy technology designer and manufacturer. The company exports to more than 30 countries around the world and has dealers nationwide. The company’s high performing milking system designs, including rotary and herringbone, save farmers time, money and labour in the dairy. The Bail Marshal helps improve the efficiency of dairy farming businesses. The Bail Marshal is an intelligent communication device that brings an unbeatable level of integration, simplicity and future proofing to milking systems. With one at every milking point, the Bail Marshal manages connectivity and communication between all bail devices easily and effectively.

Only two in ten consumers say their food is safe to eat

On average less than 40% of food and beverage industry decision-makers place complete trust in the industry to ensure food and beverage safety Zebra Technologies Corporation , an innovator at the front line of business with solutions and partners that deliver a performance edge, today announced the results of its Food Safety Supply Chain Vision Study. The study highlights the views of consumers as well as food and beverage industry decision-makers worldwide from distribution and warehouses to grocery stores and restaurants around safety, traceability and transparency. Surveyed consumers reported their top food safety concerns include restaurant kitchen and wait staff hygiene, foodborne outbreaks, illness from contaminated food, and food and beverage recalls. Consumers can be quite unforgiving if they experience a food incident as approximately six in 10 reportedly would never eat at a restaurant again if they contracted a foodborne illness or food poisoning. Slightly more than 80% of surveyed consumers said companies have an important role to play in implementing food safety solutions and an ethical responsibility to ensure the safe handling of their food. Most consumers (70%) said it is important to know how their food and ingredients are manufactured, prepared, and handled, while 69% agreed knowing how their food is sourced is also important. Given the increased focus on health and wellness, it’s unsurprising both consumers and industry decision-makers are showing a great level of interest in the source, quality and safety of their food. However, a disconnect exists between what consumers believe and what industry decision-makers think. Almost seven in 10 (69%) decision-makers say the industry is prepared to manage food traceability and transparency, but only 35% of consumers agree. Furthermore, only 13% of consumers felt the industry was extremely prepared today to manage food traceability and be transparent about how food travels through the […]

Dairy sector already committed to climate change solutions

DairyNZ shares the government’s ambition to reduce climate change emissions and today’s declaration of a climate emergency will further highlight the issue’s importance. The dairy sector’s climate change commitments and research are geared at supporting farmers to reduce emissions, to help achieve national greenhouse gas targets. “Dairy farmers are taking climate change seriously and the sector is committed to playing our part in tackling climate change and reducing our overall footprint,” said DairyNZ chief executive, Dr Tim Mackle. “There are no silver bullets, it is about making incremental changes across the whole farm system. While many solutions are known, some are not, which is why DairyNZ and others are investing heavily in research. “It is critical the government supports farmers to make change over a generation and the pace of other regulation recognises the efforts being made by the dairy sector.” Internationally, New Zealand already stacks up well, as one of the most sustainable and emission efficient dairy producers in the world. “If all dairy producers were as efficient as New Zealand, more than half the global emissions from dairy could be removed. But we know we can be even better and the dairy sector is 100 percent committed to this,” said Dr Mackle. The primary sector has joined forces with government and iwi/ Māori in a world-first climate change partnership, He Waka Eke Noa, which will support farmers and growers to measure, manage and reduce emissions. He Waka Eke Noa is a five-year programme giving farmers and growers the information, tools and support to reduce emissions and adapt to a changing climate. It includes clear actions and timeframes for environmental improvements. This includes rolling out Farm Environment Plans for all farms by 2025 to ensure every farmer knows their emissions footprint, where those emissions come from and how to […]

ClearTech® set to deliver massive water savings for dairy farming

The ClearTech effluent treatment system at Lincoln University Dairy Farm (LUDF) has saved over 600,000 litres of freshwater in its first full month of operation. The quantity of freshwater saved equates to the average daily water use of about 3,000 people, or the amount of water that an individual person would use in eight years. With steeply-rising farmer demand for ClearTech, the new effluent treatment technology will potentially save billions of litres of freshwater a year if used across the New Zealand dairy industry. LUDF Farm Manager Peter Hancox says the impact of the ClearTech system on the farm’s operations has been a revelation. “Our ClearTech plant has been fully operational since the start of our milking season, and already the amount of freshwater we’ve saved is remarkable. We’re saving at least 50% of the water used to wash the yard. “If we continue along this trend, and we fully expect to, then over the whole 10-month season we’ll achieve a total saving of 6,000,000 litres of freshwater.” Hancox says the costs of set-up and ongoing maintenance are relatively modest, and far outweighed by the benefits that will accrue to farms and the wider community. And as the ClearTech system works away in the background, its benefits are delivered with no extra effort on behalf of the farmer. “It’s a win/win for farmers and the communities they’re part of, as every litre of wastewater recycled is a litre of freshwater saved.” The breakthrough technology, developed by Lincoln University Soil Science Professors Keith Cameron and Hong Di, in conjunction with commercial partner Ravensdown, won the Science & Research Award at the inaugural Primary Industries Awards in July 2019, and the South Island Agricultural Fieldays Agri-Innovation Award, as well as a Highly Commended at the 2019 National Fieldays Innovation Awards. The ClearTech […]

New funding recognises rural sector’s strong focus on sustainability

The Government’s investment of more than $6 million into farmer-led projects to improve water health in Canterbury and Otago reinforces the important sustainability work already undertaken by the rural sector says Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Leeann Watson. Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor has announced that the funding will be spent on helping farmers improve the health of rivers, wetlands, and habitat biodiversity in the two regions, as well as improving long-term land management practices. Four farmer-led catchment group Jobs for Nature projects have been allocated between $176,000 and $2.3m over the next three years, including $362,000 for a North Otago sustainable land management riparian project, $2.2m for the Tinaku project in Ellesmere and $176,000 for the Pomahaka wetland restoration project. An additional $2.9m will go towards helping about 300 Hurunui farmers work towards land and water improvements through the application of farm environment planning and sustainable land management practices. Ms Watson says the funding for the environmental improvement work is recognition of the significant work undertaken by the rural sector to date. “The majority of farmers are very focused on improving and protecting their land for future generations, and many have been early adopters of environment management plans for the last seven or eight years, so it is good to see this recognised through this funding support. “Environmental stewardship is also an important area in terms of securing market access for food and fibre, so this funding will play a role in helping to boost our agriculture exports – a key economic driver for the region, which was particularly evident through COVID.” Ms Watson says the Government’s prioritisation of sustainability issues sends a strong signal that this issue has not been overlooked in the COVID environment. “Preserving the health of rivers, wetlands, and habitat biodiversity has always been […]

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Energy-saving technology a first for sheep and beef industry

Alliance Group is investing in a range of initiatives to improve its environmental footprint including a heat pump to reduce diesel use. The new energy-saving high temperature heat pump at the co-operative’s Nelson plant, which will help cut carbon emissions, recycles waste heat from the plant’s refrigeration systems. A first for the New Zealand sheep and beef processing industry, the heat pump has been installed in collaboration with the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA). Meanwhile, Alliance is also examining fuel options for its other plants. It is currently looking at upgrading the existing boiler at its Mataura plant in Southland to provide a number of benefits including improvements to emissions and efficiency, and considering further opportunities for other sites in the future. “Alliance has a comprehensive sustainability programme in place to improve our impact on the environment and we have the financial strength to invest in these improvements,” says Alliance Group chief executive David Surveyor. “We recognise we have to play our part and improve our environmental footprint. Our customers and consumers have high expectations for how the co-operative manages the natural environment and they also expect transparency and ethical food production. “As a 100 per cent farmer-owned co-operative, we are committed to meeting high standards of environmental practices and we are constantly looking ahead to make sure our practices allow us to be in business for the long term so we can continue to support our farmers and rural communities. “It is fantastic that the high temperature heat pump makes sound environmental sense and good business sense too.” Alliance’s seven processing plants, which employ almost 5,000 people at peak season, have annual performance targets for fuel and electricity use, which make up the majority of the co-operative’s annual emissions (107,877 tonnes of CO2 equivalent). “We regularly monitor our […]

Fonterra sells China farms

Fonterra has agreed to sell its China farms for a total of $555 million (RMB 2.5 billion*1), after successfully developing the farms alongside local partners. Inner Mongolia Natural Dairy Co., Ltd, a subsidiary of China Youran Dairy Group Limited (Youran), has agreed to purchase Fonterra’s two farming-hubs in Ying and Yutian for $513 million (RMB 2.31 billion*1). Separately, Fonterra has agreed to sell its 85 per cent interest in its Hangu farm to Beijing Sanyuan Venture Capital Co., Ltd. (Sanyuan), for $42 million (RMB 190 million*1). Sanyuan has a 15 per cent minority shareholding in the farm and exercised their right of first refusal to purchase Fonterra’s interest. CEO Miles Hurrell says in building the farms, Fonterra has demonstrated its commitment to the development of the Chinese dairy industry. “We’ve worked closely with local players, sharing our expertise in farming techniques and animal husbandry, and contributed to the growth of the industry. “We don’t shy away from the fact that establishing farms from scratch in China has been challenging, but our team has successfully developed productive model farms, supplying high quality fresh milk to the local consumer market. It’s now time to pass the baton to Youran and Sanyuan to continue the development of these farms.” Mr Hurrell says the sale of the farms will allow the Co-op to prioritise the areas of its business where it has competitive advantages. “For the last 18 months, we have been reviewing every part of the business to ensure our assets and investments meet the needs of the Co-op today. Selling the farms is in line with our decision to focus on our New Zealand farmers’ milk. “China remains one of Fonterra’s most important strategic markets, receiving around a quarter of our production. Selling the farms will allow us to focus even more […]

DairyNZ: working together delivers the best results

Sector body DairyNZ is encouraged by many of the pragmatic solutions being put on the table for agriculture policies to encourage sustainable, profitable farming. DairyNZ chair Jim van der Poel said working in partnership with the next government, whoever that is, is a priority and it is pleasing to see parties putting a largely positive vision forward for New Zealand agriculture. “We welcome the discussion around farming, as dairy farmers are keen to see practical policies on the table. As a food-producing nation, we are at the forefront of free-range farm systems, safe nutritious food, sustainability and economic value. It’s vital we get policies right,” said Mr van der Poel. “It’s good to see the parties discussing key policies to help, and work with, the food and fibre sector and farmers. What will be most helpful to NZ Inc. is for any incoming government to sit down after being elected and work through the issues and plans together with the sector and farmers. “DairyNZ is keen to see pragmatic, enduring solutions that will deliver for rural communities, the environment, farm systems and the economy.” Mr van der Poel said some aspects of policy proposals appear particularly valuable – including Labour’s support for farm plans and committing funding to help their implementation; and National’s proposal to revisit some regulations, investment in broadband and RMA changes. An investment in farm plans is valued, as DairyNZ has advocated for Farm Environment Plans and has a target in place. “Through the sector’s Dairy Tomorrow strategy, we have a commitment to have all farms with an environment plan by 2025. This underpins our sector’s efforts to improve the health of rivers and streams, protect biodiversity and reduce emissions. “Increased support to implement farm plans will go some way to helping farmers deliver on this commitment.” […]

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