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 focuses on developing sensible policy by influencing local and central government, the wider industry and community groups.
Federated Farmers Dairy is made up of three parts representing dairy farmers, sharemilkers and sharemilker employers.
On this page you will find information about news events and key issues that involve Federated Farmers Dairy. 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 Sharemilker 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.
Whom should you engage?
Dairy farms can be run solely by their owners. Sometimes, however, farm owners want to step aside and let someone else take over all, or some of, the running of the farm. Federated Farmers has contracts that will enable you complete this process. Read more by clicking on the PDF below about the different types of employment positions often used on dairy farms and to also quickly check to see which Federated Farmers' agreements would suit you.
To download a copy of Federated Farmers Sharemilkers Constitution or Federated Farmers Dairy Constitution click on the PDF's below.
New Zeland Dairy Industry Awards
The New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards supports the progression of dairy farmers by delivering an industry and nation wide awards programme.
The Sharemilker/Equity Farmer of the Year, Farm Manager of the Year and Dairy Trainee of the Year competitions attract entries from a large number of dairy farmers each year.
Entrants have the chance to earn a regional or national title and to win one of the great national and regional prizes.
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, a sharemilker or an equity farmer - we encourage you to be a part of the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards.
These awards are proudly sponsored by Federated Farmers and each region is represented by a Federated Farmers' member.
To find out who Federated Farmers' NZDIA representative is in your province either contact your field officer by clicking here or your Sharemilkers' Section Chairperson by clicking here.
To find out more or to enter the awards click here.
Key challenges and campaigns
Bobby calf welfare - 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) -
The Government is again looking at the DIRA and the Raw Milk Regulations. Perhaps now is a good time to refresh your 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 dairy farmers.
To read more on DIRA or to download a copy of Federated Farmers submission click on the PDF's below.
Fonterra's capital restructure, and in particular its Trading Among Farmers (TAF), will require a change to the DIRA as it will affect the ‘open entry and exit' provisions within the Act. Federated Farmers submitted on the preliminary discussion paper. We look forward to engaging further with both the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and the Government on this legislation.
Read our submission below.
Milk price review - Federated Farmers presented its submission on the Price of Milk at the recent Parliamentary Commerce Select Committee hearings. Our conclusions were that New Zealanders are not paying more for their milk over and above the cost of living increases that have taken place. We do not believe that either the farm-gate or factory-gate prices are too high, especially considering the levels and movements of international dairy commodity prices. However, we are keen to ensure the regulatory framework for setting these prices works effectively and fairly. Read our submission by clicking on the PDF below.
Farm gate sales of raw drinking milk - Federated Farmers asked its members what they thought about MAF's proposal for continuing to legally provide for farm gate sales of raw drinking milk. We received 464 responses to our recent survey and discovered that there are two markets out there - one operating at the farm gate and another in towns and cities, where raw milk clubs provide chilled, fresh, raw milk to New Zealanders who do not live in the country. While Federated Farmers agrees with MAF's Option 3 for those who want to sell milk at the actual farm, we are asking MAF to work with the industry to develop workable policy for those who want to sell milk further afield. This will help those people who live too far from the farm the choice of drinking this milk. Ultimately we are asking MAF for the status quo to remain until a workable policy is developed. See the full submission by clicking on the PDF below.
News and events
Federated Farmers Dairy council meeting - The Dairy council meeting for 2012 will be held on 16-17 February at Kingsgate Hotel in Palmerston North. All Dairy council and Sharemilkers' council delegates are requested to attend. For those interested, there will also be farm tour prior to the meeting on Wednesday, 15 February 2012. To download a registration from click here.
When: 16 Feb 2012 10am- 17 Feb 2012 05:00pm
Contact:
Ann Thompson
Dairy Policy Advisor
Phone: 0800 327 646
Email: athompson@fedfarm.org.nz
Animal welfare - Unfortunately many of you will have had experience of external agencies coming onto farms to enforce their beliefs on what is correct animal welfare. I acknowledge there is the odd case of complete incompetence within farming and these people should not be in charge of animals, but that is not the case for the vast majority of farmers.
I am hopeful with a new Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry that Federated Farmers can assist in educating their enforcement officers to understand the complexities of farming. To help them distinguish between the effect of a snow storm and what is willful neglect of farm animals. To help them identify what farm systems will work or if farm systems are likely to fail. To ensure their behavior is appropriate as an officer of the Crown. All too often prosecution is seen as the solution but really it is just punishment for what? A snow storm?
As leaders you will all have to get involved in this space; DairyNZ and Federated Farmers will have to work closely together for the sake of all our reputations.
We do have a great pasture based system that is relatively low cost but it is not simple. We all run very complex biological systems. The modern dairy cow is a lot different in its demands and ability to milk than the cows some of us first started milking.
As leaders within our industry we all have to play a part in educating regulators, enforcement officers and communities of the complexities involved in the farm system.
Our strength is in working together and talking within our organisations.
We all have to continue to lobby for sensible solutions that will deliver our shared aspirations of economic prosperity, social justice and resource management to ensure we all have an environment that enables future generations to prosper.
In the news recently - for the latest stories please click on the below PDF.
Keeping you informed
Federated Farmers Dairy also produce a bi-monthly e-newsletter, the Dairy Alert, for members to keep you 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.
