3 April 2020
In today’s edition farmers’ confidence has unsurprisingly taken a dent in the latest Rabobank survey. Fonterra reports its operations from farm to port to markets are largely business as usual though a bit slower.
2 April 2020
In today’s edition the primary sector’s annual showcase Fieldays has been postponed indefinitely though disappointed attendees might be offered an online event. Rabobank and ANZ say beef farmers will suffer less pain than dairy as Chinese demand for red meat picks up in the second half of the year. Bayleys is putting a brave face on the hurdles facing rural property sales.
1 April 2020
In today’s edition the pork industry is in crisis talks with the Government over the fate of thousands of pigs that might have to be slaughtered on farms unless a way can be found to process them. Synlait has been given the green light by the Overseas Investment Office to buy a $25.7m farm next to its Dunsandel plant as well as the Dairyworks cheese business for $112m.
31 March 2020
Good afternoon and welcome to the Daily Digest. In today’s edition covid-19 is presenting challenges to many in the primary sector, big and small. While freezing works look for ways to protect their staff, artisan producers are finding it hard to survive without the lifeline of traditional farmers’ markets. Some like-minded trading countries, including New Zealand, have pledged to keep access open to their markets. And there’s hope on the horizon for drought-stricken farmers in the shape of an ex-tropical cyclone potentially forming in the Coral Sea though it’s too early to be certain. Vets are advising farmers not to ask them to go on-farm unless it’s for truly essential work, otherwise just call them for advice. And a final plea from firefighters – now is not the time to be lighting fires because of the risk of the firefighters being infected with covid-19.
30 March 2020
Good afternoon and welcome to the Daily Digest. In today’s edition the Shearing Contractors Association urges farmers to plan for crutching and shearing, Federated Farmers and the Primary Industries Ministry are working on a Moving Day plan, MPI starts visiting businesses to make sure they are complying with covid-19 rules, the ASB gazes into a crystal ball over the future of the economy and the Primary Wool Co-operative is set for an online annual meeting on April 2.
Gerard Hutching/Staff Writers
27 March 2020
The Government has provided some tax relief for farmers affected by Mycoplasma bovis as the nation battles covid-19.
Meantime, more events in the rural sector have been cancelled or postponed.
26 March 2020
Fonterra is registering all its suppliers with the Ministry for Primary Industries but other businesses need to register to operate as an essential service by tomorrow afternoon.
And economists say the Government has made a good start on protecting the economy as well as it can but it must go further to ensure primary industries come through the pandemic.
25 March 2020
Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor has acknowledged the uncertainty being felt by farmers, growers and the wider rural community about what is and is not an essential service.
24 March 2020
Drought-hit areas of New Zealand are working to ensure they can feed or move stock as the country shuts down. Food production is an essential service but some support services to the sector will be impacted by the movement to level 4. Stock sales at the yards will move online from tomorrow. Meantime, a number of agribusinesses have clarified what services they expect to be able to offer over the next four weeks.
23 March 2020
Many of the events and items we have for the digest today were overtaken by this afternoon’s announcements and made redundant so we won’t bother you with them. That leaves covido-19 and related financial information.
Over the coming days Farmers Weekly journalists and analysts will continue working, from our homes and farms, to bring you the last news and analysis to keep you up to date and explain what the latest developments mean for you.
