Mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis)
Published on 31/08/2018
The farming industry and its advisors are concerned about the impact of M. bovis on their farming operation, livestock and livelihood, irrespective of the amount of compensation that may be available from the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI). While the industry is endeavouring to work towards...
Dairy Farm Transactions and Fonterra
Published on 24/04/2018
It is an opportune time to share with you, potential issues farmers need to consider when buying and selling dairy farms that supply Fonterra....
Waikato Regional Council and Healthy Rivers
Published on 26/11/2016
There has been a large amount of publicity on the Waikato Regional Council’s Plan Change 1 for the Healthy Rivers On-Farm Project. This is commonly referred to as Healthy Rivers...
Guest Blog by Brad Markham & Matthew Herbert – 2016 Auckland/Hauraki Share Farmers of the Year
Published on 03/11/2016
I was chatting to a mate about mating the other day when it dawned on me that we wouldn’t know each other if it wasn’t for the Dairy Industry Awards. People enter the high-profile competition for various reasons. Some 50/50 sharemilkers and contract milkers put themselves forward...
Fonterra Interest-Free Loans and Fringe Benefit Tax
Published on 20/09/2015
A co-operative is about members standing together to help each other. Fonterra is ably demonstrating this co-operative spirit by offering a loan to its suppliers of 50 cents per share interest free, until 31 May 2017. Some owners are concerned about the financial viability of their...
Swedes suspect in cow deaths
Published on 25/11/2014
With more than an 200 cows dead or left with liver and kidney damage, and no definitive answer about the cause, farmers are nervous about what to plant over coming weeks for next winter’s crop. See Ian Blackman’s comments in the October issue of NZ Dairy...
Thinking of building a new home on your farm?
Published on 20/07/2014
As your farming business grows and you need extra accommodation on your property for additional staff, a manager or a sharemilker, you may consider building a new home on your property. While building a new home can be an exciting time, it may also become stressful...
New Contract Milking Agreement
Published on 03/03/2014
BlackmanSpargo has revised its contract milking agreement. The new agreement contains a number of clauses which are not available under the Federated Farmers’ Contract Milking Agreement 2011. The significant advantages to the BlackmanSpargo contract milking agreement are: The agreement recognises that many contract milkers will be forming...
Fonterra Capital Restructure
Published on 03/03/2010
As a result of last years Fonterra restructure, the old payout is now broken down into the milk price and the dividend. Because sharemilkers had been paid a percentage of the payout, the issue arose between owners and sharemilkers as to whether the sharemilker should...