Farmers Weekly Podcast

(00:00:00) Full Show | 5 February

(00:01:55) Can red meat farmers bank on record prices?

(00:13:30) Inside the challenges facing NZ’s specialty cheese sector

(00:25:07) Canterbury crops under pressure after soggy summer

In this week's episode, AgriHQ analyst Mel Croad talks about red meat prices, Whitestone Cheese managing director Simon Berry unpacks the challenges for artisan cheese, and Federated Farmers arable spokesperson David Birkett talks about winter feed risks following a wet summer.

Market Insights | Can red meat farmers bank on record prices?
1:56 – AgriHQ senior analyst Mel Croad says red meat farmers looking at the sector’s current high prices are still trying to determine how far into the future they can bank on them. Having seen prices boom, then bust before, many are seeking confirmation the sector is experiencing a structural upward shift in prices that they can bank on for making longer term farm business decisions, including whether to increase breeding stock numbers.

Feature | Inside the challenges facing NZ’s specialty cheese sector
13:30 – Whitestone Cheese managing director Simon Berry outlines some of the challenges the sector is facing at present. They include the cost-of-living crisis making consumers more wary of spending more on luxuries like artisan cheeses, the high ongoing regulatory costs producers face if they want to expand through export ventures, and the uncertainty the sale of NZ’s largest specialty cheesemaker Kāpiti to French company Lactalis brings to the sector.

Feds Focus | Canterbury crops under pressure after soggy summer
25:08 – While the wetter summer has been a positive for pastoral farmers it has made growing and harvesting crops in Canterbury extremely challenging. For dairy farmers the summer has meant less irrigation, but it also means supplies of winter supplement crops may be harder to secure given the impacts weather has had. David is encouraging dairy farmers to start a conversation sooner than later with their arable crop growing partners to ensure they have a clear idea how much will be available, and start a Plan B for crop supply now if necessary.

Whitestone Cheese managing director Simon Berry outlines some of the challenges the sector is facing at present. They include the cost of living crisis making consumers more wary of spending more on luxuries like artisan cheeses, the high ongoing regulatory costs producers face if they want to expand through export ventures, and the uncertainty the sale of NZ’s largest specialty cheesemaker Kāpiti to French company Lactalis brings to the sector.

AgriHQ senior analyst Mel Croad says red meat farmers looking at the sector’s current high prices are still trying to determine how far into the future they can bank on them.

Having seen prices boom, then bust before, many are seeking confirmation the sector is experiencing a structural upward shift in prices that they can bank on for making longer term farm business decisions, including whether to increase breeding stock numbers.

While the wetter summer has been a positive for pastoral farmers it has made growing and harvesting crops in Canterbury extremely challenging. For dairy farmers the summer has meant less irrigation, but it also means supplies of winter supplement crops may be harder to secure given the impacts weather has had.

Federated Farmers arable chair David Birkett is encouraging dairy farmers to start a conversation sooner than later with their arable crop growing partners to ensure they have a clear idea how much will be available, and start a Plan B for crop supply now if necessary.

In this episode, AgriHQ’s Fiona Quarrie discusses strong lamb and ewe sales after recent rain, Sam Hogg shares how ecological farming can cut emissions and boost profits, and Jason Herrick from Federated Farmers unpacks Southland’s local service reform ideas.

Market Insights | Strong rainfall sends buyers back to the yards
1:25 – AgriHQ analyst Fiona Quarrie says recent rain in regions like Hawke’s Bay and Canterbury have been game changing for farmers who are now heading back to the saleyards to restock. Recent store lamb and ewe sales have been very strong, and will continue to be for a while yet.
 
Feature | Why ecological farming is gaining ground
7:30 – Sam Hogg has teamed up with his mate Sam Lang to write a chapter for the upcoming book Kiwis in climate: Solutions from Aotearoa New Zealand. Hogg told Bryan that viewing a farm as an ecosystem could transform the way it is managed and reduce emissions, build climate resilience and boost profits. 

Feds Focus | Southland leading discussion on local government reform
17:55 – Jason Herrick from Federated Farmers in Southland says local bodies there have been discussing how to rationalise services for more than a year, and the region could provide a blueprint for others.

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