March 11, 2026 • 4 mins
The Chair of DairyNZ encourages farmers to cast their vote before the end of play tomorrow for the Milksolids Levy vote.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Tracy Brown is a Madam madda dairy farmer also the
chair of Dairy and Z. It is your last week
to vote in the milk Solids levee vote in fact,
close the play tomorrow the voting closers. Tracy, I put
it to you, and you'll be far too modest to
say this, but I think you're going to romp home
in this vote.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Oh Jamie, I mean, it would be great if we did,
but I would never assume that. I'd just really encourage
everybody to get out and vote. Everybody has an opportunity
that pays milk solids and obviously we're looking for strong mandate,
so as many farmers that can vote as possible would
be great.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
I think the wool industry is a good example of
an industry that dropped the ball when it came to
industry good levies.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Yeah, I think the important thing for farmers to think
about is, you know, who else is the organization that
speaks on behalf of all of dairy and you know,
and that is our role. So if we don't exist,
then that doesn't happen. So you know, that's our role
is to do the collective work for the sector that
individual farmers can't do. And we did that piece of
(01:08):
research you're a member journey last year that did show
a significant sevenfold return on the investment that farmers put in,
and so I think that's significant and hopefully farmers value
the work that we do well.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
If it's of any consolation to you, I haven't spoken
to any dairy farmers yet who aren't voting. Yes, So
anyhow close the play tomorrow. If you haven't voted, or
you haven't even got your forms or whatever, where do
you go to make sure you can make your voice count?
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Yeap. So it's all been run through elections in Z
so same as any director election. So if they searched
back through their emails for elections in Z, if they
haven't voted, they've probably also got notifications coming on their phone,
So check their phone. Anyone that has voted doesn't get
a notification anymore, so it'll only be if you haven't
(01:56):
voted you might be getting a notification. Reach out to
one of our staff members to get guidance on how
where to find your code and all that kind of stuff.
That's not a problem.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
Yep, And remember voting closes. Close the play tomorrow. E
contractor econ tracker. Let's get it right. This is the
kind of the economic tool that you used to track
the cost of production. The latest quarterly update has been
released that break even milk price interestingly has dropped, which
is good. And I'm putting it to you, Tracy that
(02:29):
this is off the back of lower interest rates.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Yes it is, because I don't I think most people
would argue the farm and put costs haven't gone down,
but interest rates have slightly eased. So yet a new
fourcast break even milk price is eight dollars thirty six,
so that has come down a little bit. The average
payout received is nine to ninety two, so that implies
(02:51):
as sort of an average surplus of around the dollar
fifty six for twenty five twenty six season. So that's
good news. And we forecasting for next season to be
eight thirty one break even milk price at this stata
down slightly again. But you know, there's a lot of
unrest and a lot of uncertainty as we know at
(03:12):
the moment, Jamie, so anything could happen.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Yeah, not to mention rising fuel prices, which is going
to be a bit of a fly in the ointment there.
As I said, you're a madam Ota dairy farmer. It's
been a very good season around most of the country
in terms of growing grass. I know some of the
cropping and arable farmers haven't enjoyed it so much, but
if you're into pastor or farming, it's been pretty good.
How's your season gone.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
We've had a really great summer. Phenomenal summer, actually, Jamie.
We've had regular rainfall all the way through. It's getting
a bit all to me now. Temperatures dropped in the
last couple of weeks. We have got our may sylogen
recalled yield this year, so that was pleasing, and I
think most people it's been a pretty good season around
(03:55):
the traps, which is you know, it's nice to have
that in the bag for people.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
Happy days for the day fairy farmers, especially in the
Waikato region, the dairy powerhouse province of our nation. Tracy Brown,
Cheer of Dairy and Zed, Thanks for your time and
remember dairy Farmers Voting closes five pm tomorrow for that
milk solids levy vote. Good luck, Cheer.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
Thanks Jamie,
Tracy Brown is a Madam madda dairy farmer also the
chair of Dairy and Z. It is your last week
to vote in the milk Solids levee vote in fact,
close the play tomorrow the voting closers. Tracy, I put
it to you, and you'll be far too modest to
say this, but I think you're going to romp home
in this vote.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Oh Jamie, I mean, it would be great if we did,
but I would never assume that. I'd just really encourage
everybody to get out and vote. Everybody has an opportunity
that pays milk solids and obviously we're looking for strong mandate,
so as many farmers that can vote as possible would
be great.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
I think the wool industry is a good example of
an industry that dropped the ball when it came to
industry good levies.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Yeah, I think the important thing for farmers to think
about is, you know, who else is the organization that
speaks on behalf of all of dairy and you know,
and that is our role. So if we don't exist,
then that doesn't happen. So you know, that's our role
is to do the collective work for the sector that
individual farmers can't do. And we did that piece of
(01:08):
research you're a member journey last year that did show
a significant sevenfold return on the investment that farmers put in,
and so I think that's significant and hopefully farmers value
the work that we do well.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
If it's of any consolation to you, I haven't spoken
to any dairy farmers yet who aren't voting. Yes, So
anyhow close the play tomorrow. If you haven't voted, or
you haven't even got your forms or whatever, where do
you go to make sure you can make your voice count?
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Yeap. So it's all been run through elections in Z
so same as any director election. So if they searched
back through their emails for elections in Z, if they
haven't voted, they've probably also got notifications coming on their phone,
So check their phone. Anyone that has voted doesn't get
a notification anymore, so it'll only be if you haven't
(01:56):
voted you might be getting a notification. Reach out to
one of our staff members to get guidance on how
where to find your code and all that kind of stuff.
That's not a problem.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
Yep, And remember voting closes. Close the play tomorrow. E
contractor econ tracker. Let's get it right. This is the
kind of the economic tool that you used to track
the cost of production. The latest quarterly update has been
released that break even milk price interestingly has dropped, which
is good. And I'm putting it to you, Tracy that
(02:29):
this is off the back of lower interest rates.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Yes it is, because I don't I think most people
would argue the farm and put costs haven't gone down,
but interest rates have slightly eased. So yet a new
fourcast break even milk price is eight dollars thirty six,
so that has come down a little bit. The average
payout received is nine to ninety two, so that implies
(02:51):
as sort of an average surplus of around the dollar
fifty six for twenty five twenty six season. So that's
good news. And we forecasting for next season to be
eight thirty one break even milk price at this stata
down slightly again. But you know, there's a lot of
unrest and a lot of uncertainty as we know at
(03:12):
the moment, Jamie, so anything could happen.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Yeah, not to mention rising fuel prices, which is going
to be a bit of a fly in the ointment there.
As I said, you're a madam Ota dairy farmer. It's
been a very good season around most of the country
in terms of growing grass. I know some of the
cropping and arable farmers haven't enjoyed it so much, but
if you're into pastor or farming, it's been pretty good.
How's your season gone.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
We've had a really great summer. Phenomenal summer, actually, Jamie.
We've had regular rainfall all the way through. It's getting
a bit all to me now. Temperatures dropped in the
last couple of weeks. We have got our may sylogen
recalled yield this year, so that was pleasing, and I
think most people it's been a pretty good season around
(03:55):
the traps, which is you know, it's nice to have
that in the bag for people.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
Happy days for the day fairy farmers, especially in the
Waikato region, the dairy powerhouse province of our nation. Tracy Brown,
Cheer of Dairy and Zed, Thanks for your time and
remember dairy Farmers Voting closes five pm tomorrow for that
milk solids levy vote. Good luck, Cheer.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
Thanks Jamie,
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