Federated Farmers Dairy
Representing New Zealand's Dairy Farmers
Federated Farmers Dairy aims to maintain a strong, progressive and sustainable dairy industry through representation, consultation and advocacy. Federated Farmers Dairy will endeavour to influence local and central government, the wider industry and community groups.
Federated Farmers Dairy section is made up of three parts representing dairy farmers, sharemilkers and sharemilkers' employers. To read more about sharemilking, please click here.
On this page you will find information about news and events and key issues that involve the Federated Farmers Dairy section. You can also find out who represents the dairy section as well as who they work with.
Federated Farmers Dairy represents the interests of New Zealand dairy farmers through the dairy, sharemilkers and sharemilkers' employers sections.
Each group has a chairperson, a board of executives and provincial representatives who are here to help. To see who represents each group, please click the links above.
The National Panel of Conciliators is available to help resolve sharemilking disputes. Please click here to view their contact details.
To read more about the Dairy industry group, download the PDF below.
Key challenges and campaigns
Bobby calf welfare - Further to the July issue of the Dairy Alert, it is important to remind ourselves of our welfare obligations in respect of bobby calves. How we treat these calves reflects on us all as an industry. Federated Farmers does not condone, excuse or justify the maltreatment of farm animals. Our reputation as farmers and as exporters depends on ethical responsible husbandry. Where proven, the Federation will fully support prosecution.
To find out more about this issue, please call 0800 Farming (327 646), alternatively members can login by clicking here and download the free fact sheet on bobby calf welfare.
A closer look at the Dairy Industry Restructuring Act (DIRA) - With the recent change to the pricing mechanism for Regulated Raw Milk comes the opportunity to refresh our knowledge of the Dairy Industry Restructuring Act (2001) and its intention.
The establishment of the DIRA sought to promote the efficient operation of dairy markets in New Zealand by regulating the activities of Fonterra, thereby ensuring that the market for dairy goods and services is contestable. A number of pro-competitive measures were put in place to ensure this, including:
- Open entry and exit,
- contracting rules,
- the 20 percent rule and
- the Raw Milk Regulations.
There are also sunset clauses built into the pro-competitive intent of the DIRA based on the amount of milk collected by independent milk processors from their own sources.
To read more on the DIRA please download the PDF below.
News and events
Keeping you informed
Federated Farmers Dairy also produce a bi-monthly e-newsletter, the Dairy Alert, for members to keep up date with the latest news, events and issues. To view issues of the Dairy Alert, please click here. You can also subscribe to recieve the Dairy Alert via email by clicking here.
New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards
The New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards was formed in 2006 to deliver a programme of awards which encourages excellence and progression through the dairy industry in New Zealand. If you are a dairy trainee, a farm manager or a sharemilker - we encourage you to be a part of the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards. To find out more please click here.
These awards are proudly sponsored by Federated Farmers and a each region is represented by a Federated Farmers member. To see who the NZDIA Federated Farmers representative is in your province, click here.
Contracts, agreements and advice
Federated Farmers have specialist contracts, agreements and fact sheets available for purchase. These include variable order and 50/50 sharemilking agreements and employment contracts as well as fact sheets on dispute resolution, sharemilking, remuneration and drugs and alcohol.
To view these products, please click here.
Federated Farmers members can also get FREE advice on any matter related to their farm business by calling 0800 FARMING.
