Farm Buzz

Innovation & industry announcements in NZ

Bookmark this page and check back regularly for practical farming articles, expert insights, real-world case studies, and our popular 7-Day Series. Dairying by Design NZ brings together informative content designed to help New Zealand dairy farmers stay informed and ahead of the herd.

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Federated Farmers warns of ‘water tax’ risk

Federated Farmers says while it supports the intent of the Government’s resource management overhaul, a deep dive into the draft legislation has revealed some serious concerns.

Most concerning are provisions allowing freshwater rights to be auctioned, tendered, or levied - effectively enabling freshwater to be taxed, says Federated Farmers RMA reform spokesperson Mark Hooper.

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The Role of Hay and Silage in NZ Dairy Systems

Hay and Silage Cultivation: A Practical Guide for New Zealand Dairy Farmers

Reliable supplementary feed is critical to the success of New Zealand dairy systems. While pasture remains the backbone of most farms, hay and silage play a vital role in managing seasonal feed deficits, protecting pasture covers, supporting cow condition, and improving resilience during dry summers or wet springs

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Emerging Farm leader required

DairyNZ is giving New Zealand farmers a unique opportunity to gain hands-on governance and leadership experience within the dairy sector. 

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Federated Farmers names new chief executive

Federated Farmers has appointed Mike Siermans as its new chief executive.

 

Siermans has been the organisation’s interim CEO since September last year, following Terry Copeland’s departure after seven years in the role.

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Taranaki Farmers win back voice on council committee

Federated Farmers has successfully fought to keep a farmer representative on a key Taranaki Regional Council committee, overturning a controversial earlier decision.

"We’re thrilled the council has recognised how important it is to have practical, on-the-ground knowledge at the table when shaping decisions that affect the region," Federated Farmers Taranaki president Leedom Gibbs says.

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Working towards cooler cows

With New Zealand cows grazing outdoors and directly exposed to the sun, heat stress is a growing challenge. It affects cow comfort, productivity and wellbeing – and farmers are looking for practical, proven options to manage the risk.

Heat stress occurs when cows can’t shed excess heat, leading to discomfort and reduced milk production and with warmer, drier summers, the risk of heat stress is set to rise across all dairy regions.

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Profit still on the table, but margin gap tightens

DairyNZ’s latest Econ Tracker update shows most farms will still finish the season in a positive position, although the gap has narrowed compared with early season expectations.

Despite the Fonterra forecast farmgate milk price easing to a midpoint of $9.50/kgMS, the overall outlook remains positive with a forecast breakeven milk price of $8.50/kgMS.

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Topcross Genetics to offer their best for sale

Topcross Genetics to offer their best for sale

Arguably the highest Breeding Worth (BW) group of crossbreds to sell to date will be marketed in the Topcross Limited Edition Sale in late March 2026.

The South Canterbury operation is contract milked by Philip and Julia Harrison with Philip’s brother, John, in the 2IC position. Philip, 26, and Julia are moving on to a new employment opportunity next season as they work towards their ultimate goal of farm ownership.

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Brian Carscadden joining the NZ DairyEvent judging team

The NZ DairyEvent is excited to welcome Brian Carscadden (Ontario, Canada) to oversee the Holstein judging from: 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟐𝟓 𝐭𝐨 𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟐𝟖.

We thank Brian for joining the NZ DairyEvent 2026 judging team. We hope to welcome Tanner Schmaling in the future, after his plans had to be changed for 2026.

𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐈𝐍 – 𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐀𝐍 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐃𝐃𝐄𝐍
Ontario, Canada
Executive Senior Manager, Blondin Sires Inc.

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‘Stunning’ global milk production growth drives dairy prices lower – Rabobank Global Dairy Quarterly

New Zealand farmers have been setting new milk solid records each month from May to September 2025, with the peak month of October the third highest output on record.

“South America is also shaping up to deliver a significant annual volume increase, and output from the Big-7 (the EU, the US, New Zealand, Australia, Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay) is forecast to finish 2025 up 2.2% year-on-year.

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From guts to glory – Canterbury farmers encourage composting livestock mortalities

Canterbury Regional Council (Environment Canterbury), several industry partners and a group of farmers are encouraging their peers to consider composting as an environmentally friendly alternative.
Environment Canterbury is the first regional council to offer practical, in-depth guidance for farmers on how to compost animal mortalities on-farm. The guidance has been developed in partnership with a group of test farmers across Waitaha Canterbury, and with support from DairyNZ, Synlait, and Morven Glenavy Ikawai (MGI) Irrigation Company Ltd.

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Farm plastics recycling scheme gets green light

Building on voluntary schemes operating for nearly 20 years, the regulations establish a nationally consistent product stewardship framework for agrichemicals, their containers, and farm plastics – helping farmers cut waste, reduce environmental impact, and improve long-term productivity.

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