Early Bird I Thursday May 9th 2024

Cheddar the big mover at the latest Global dairy Trade Auction, OSPRI support sessions hit the right notes up and down the country and positive political wool shed meetings. Welcome to Proud Country's Early Bird - The top things you need to know that impact rural New Zealand delivered to you by 5am, because who doesn’t need better chat beyond the weather! Cheddar the big mover at the latest Global dairy Trade Auction The latest Global Dairy Trade auction showed a slight increase in prices overall, rising by 1.8% across the board compared to the last event, and follows a modest 0.1% increase in the previous auction held on April 16. Key products like whole milk powder, which has a significant impact on Fonterra’s farmgate milk price, experienced a solid 2.4% increase, reaching an average price of US$3350 per metric ton (MT). Skim milk powder also saw a slight gain of 0.4%, averaging US$2551/MT. Cheddar cheese stood out at this auction with an 8% rise, rebounding from an 8.5% decrease in the previous event. Butter gained 2.1% to an average of US$6593 per Metric Tonne, while anhydrous milk fat reached its highest value so far on the GDT platform, rising by 1.2%. Buttermilk powder, which was not available at the previous auction, returned with a 1.7% rise, Mozzarella rebounded by 2.3% from the previous decrease, but lactose experienced a decline of 1.3%. 2. OSPRI support sessions hit the right notes up and down the country Farmers have been engaging enthusiastically with OSPRI's support sessions, with over 250 attendees participating in sessions held across New Zealand from January to April. These sessions, organized by local OSPRI regional partners, provide valuable assistance on NAIT and TBfree-related topics in community halls and farm supply stores. The initiative aims to empower farmers with the knowledge and tools needed to enhance traceability and compliance within the agricultural sector. The support sessions cater to individual needs, offering personalized help ranging from NAIT movement clean-up to discussions on best tagging practices and establishing new herd numbers.  Several topics garnered particular interest among farmers, including meeting obligations during farm movements, NAIT account reconciliations, and developing on-farm traceability plans. This heightened engagement reflects a growing awareness among farmers of their NAIT and TBfree responsibilities, especially with Moving Day approaching. The increased interest aligns with a notable 6% rise in overall NAIT compliance rates during the first four months of 2024 compared to the previous year. Farmers interested in upcoming events can check the OSPRI Upcoming Events page for details on sessions in their area. 3. Positive political wool shed meetings Meanwhile farmers have shown a lot of interest and positive responses to the Government's initiative of holding woolshed meetings around the country, aiming to engage with farmers and discuss their concerns.  Clutha farmer and Associate Minister of Agriculture Mark Patterson recently acknowledged the challenges faced by high country farmers during a government woolshed meeting at Mt Somers Station in Mid Canterbury.  Addressing about 50 farmers and industry representatives, Patterson emphasized the government's commitment to supporting farmers amidst tough conditions and sought feedback on their initiatives. Farmers are facing pressures due to low returns in sheep and beef, high interest rates, and challenging climatic conditions. The government's focus includes reducing compliance burdens, lowering costs, and increasing flexibility, demonstrated through reforms like the Resource Management Act amendments addressing emitter grazing regulations and low slope maps. Patterson also mentioned the government's consideration of rural healthcare challenges and the need to support rural communities. Questions from farmers addressed issues such as regional council directives, profitability, regulatory challenges, and workforce shortages.  Overall, the woolshed meeting provided an opportunity for farmers to engage directly with government representatives, discuss challenges, and seek clarity on policy directions affecting the agricultural sector. 4.  Charity steps up donations of livestock As food insecurity continues to rise in the Waikato region, Meat the Need and Feed Out , a farmer-led charity, is stepping up to support those in need by providing essential food supplies. The charity, backed by founding partner Silver Fern Farms and supported by processors Miraka and Fonterra, aims to distribute a consistent supply of protein to 10 food banks and community organizations across the Waikato. The support includes monthly donations of mince and milk, addressing a critical need for nutritious food items. Meat the Need is recognized as the only charity in New Zealand distributing a regular supply of protein to 115 food banks and community organizations nationwide, having delivered over two million meals since July 2020. The demand for food support services has surged significantly, with a reported 40% increase in nationwide demand, placing additional strain on charitable organizations like Meat the Need. For farmers interested in contributing, the charity facilitates donations of livestock, milk, virtual livestock, and cash, with all contributions directly supporting the production of mince and milk meals for families in need. To learn more about Meat the Need and its initiatives, visit their website at meattheneed.org. 5. Groundbreaking world shearing record for merinos And Australian shearer Jeanine Kimm has made history by setting a groundbreaking world record, shearing 358 merino ewes in just eight hours. The achievement not only marks Kimm as the first woman to shear an official merino record but also the first Australian woman to achieve a record on any breed. Given that there was no existing record to target, Kimm aimed for 351, which was the tally sheared by Hilton Barrett when he set the World Sheep Shearing Records Society’s first men’s eight-hour merino ewes record in 1999.  During her record-breaking shearing attempt, Kimm demonstrated exceptional performance across two-hour runs throughout the day. Starting at 7:30 am and continuing until the lunch break at midday, she shore 90 and 86 sheep in consecutive runs. Following the break, from 1 pm until the finish at 5:30 pm, Kimm maintained her impressive pace, shearing 91 sheep in each of the two-hour runs. Despite being 1.57m tall, Kimm demonstrated remarkable control over the sheep, which averaged between 60kg-65kg, ultimately shearing more than 1.2 tonnes of fine wool. The record attempt took place at Dalkeith, near Cassilis. During her record-breaking attempt, notable figures from the New Zealand shearing community, including Sacha Bond, were present. Sacha Bond had previously set impressive records in the New Zealand summer, achieving milestones like shearing 720 lambs in December and 458 ewes in February,See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.