June 11, 2026 • 3 mins
DairyNZ's chief executive is at Fieldays. He talks about farmer advocacy, cost pressures on the sector, and where DairyNZ's farmer levy is spent.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
We had beef and lamb New Zealand and Horticulture in
z on yesterday, so it's only right that we should
chat to the team from a dairy in z and
with me. I've got the top dog, yes, Campbell Parker,
chief executive of.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Dairy and ZED. What's the vibe, Campbell, Oh.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
The ViBe's been very good. Jobie, very positive. I think
the weather's helped too. But you know, right around the country,
everyone's had a really good growing season. Product prices are
pretty good. Tough for our colleagues and arable and viticulture,
but everyone else is having in pretty good years. So
the ViBe's been good.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
So what's the message you've been passing on? Because you're
in the advocacy hub with Federated Farmers, aren't you.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Yeah, we've been on our own site in the main
plus also science farmers and advocacy.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Yep. What is the main features on your stand? What's
your message?
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Yeah, it's the main messages around. You know, we still
have massive opportunity around both productivity and efficiency and we've
got to keep driving forward because you know, we've got
a lot of hungry people out in the world and
we produce really good products in New Zealand say how
do we keep leaning forward on that?
Speaker 1 (01:05):
So you came out was it last week or the
week before with your e contractor cost tracker cost of
production for dairy farm and it's because of the fuel crisis.
Hopefully there might be some light at the end of
the tunnel there. But you know, the returns the income
side of the ledge is very good, but we do
have some issues on the cost side.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Yeah, there certainly are, Jamie, and if you look at
the break even milk price, it went from eight dollars
thirty six up to eight dollars seventy nine. But the
main one is there's quite a bit of volatility and
you saw that with Fonterra's opening milk price as well,
around midpoint.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Of nine to seventy five.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
It sounds great, but a range of eight to eleven dollars,
so that's really highlighting the volatility and the price pressure
is real. You know when that's coming through. And we
talk about the five f so fertilizer, freight, feed and
fuel obviously, but the other one is financed, so s
inflation starts to cap finance will be a challenge as well.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
The dairy farmers pay you with great love and gratitude.
A levee, what are you spending it on at the moment?
Speaker 3 (02:06):
Yes, so it's along a whole range of things, but
about seventy five percent of ours is largely into science
and research and also our extension activities in terms of
the work we do with farmers, so that's where the
bulk of that levee goes. And we've just announced there
was announcements here at a Field Days as well around
we've got a big project to work around with beef
and lamb on dairy beef opportunities, some work around resilient pastures,
(02:29):
and we've just announced what we call responsible dairy, which
is the ability to drive productivity, efficiency and environmental outcomes.
So they take a fair chunk of that money as well.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
And I put it to you, I don't need to
wrap this. Dairy beef is going to be one of
the big issues of the next decade and dairy farming
right and it's a big opportunity.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
We announced that project back on the twelfth of March
and the farmer uptakes been really strong and there's lots
of good work happening across the sector. So coupled with
things like hurting technology, virtual fencing, opportunity to productivity and
beef are big as well.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
All right, Campbell Parker mate, good to see you. And
I know and I know that you're a bit of
a Chiefs fan, are you calling?
Speaker 3 (03:06):
Oh yeah, the Chiefs. I're going to Son over here,
his Crusaders. He's born in Canterbury. But I think it'll
be a good game tonight and I hope the Chiefs win.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
Yeah. Well, I still think the Hurricanes are going to
take a lot of beating regardless of who wins tonight,
because I'm assuming.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
They're going to beat the Blues. But you enjoy, you'll
be at the footy tonight and then yeah, it will be.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
It doesn't look like it's going to rain, so hopefully
it's a good game of footy.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
It's a good day for Day three here at Field
Days
We had beef and lamb New Zealand and Horticulture in
z on yesterday, so it's only right that we should
chat to the team from a dairy in z and
with me. I've got the top dog, yes, Campbell Parker,
chief executive of.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Dairy and ZED. What's the vibe, Campbell, Oh.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
The ViBe's been very good. Jobie, very positive. I think
the weather's helped too. But you know, right around the country,
everyone's had a really good growing season. Product prices are
pretty good. Tough for our colleagues and arable and viticulture,
but everyone else is having in pretty good years. So
the ViBe's been good.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
So what's the message you've been passing on? Because you're
in the advocacy hub with Federated Farmers, aren't you.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Yeah, we've been on our own site in the main
plus also science farmers and advocacy.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Yep. What is the main features on your stand? What's
your message?
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Yeah, it's the main messages around. You know, we still
have massive opportunity around both productivity and efficiency and we've
got to keep driving forward because you know, we've got
a lot of hungry people out in the world and
we produce really good products in New Zealand say how
do we keep leaning forward on that?
Speaker 1 (01:05):
So you came out was it last week or the
week before with your e contractor cost tracker cost of
production for dairy farm and it's because of the fuel crisis.
Hopefully there might be some light at the end of
the tunnel there. But you know, the returns the income
side of the ledge is very good, but we do
have some issues on the cost side.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Yeah, there certainly are, Jamie, and if you look at
the break even milk price, it went from eight dollars
thirty six up to eight dollars seventy nine. But the
main one is there's quite a bit of volatility and
you saw that with Fonterra's opening milk price as well,
around midpoint.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Of nine to seventy five.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
It sounds great, but a range of eight to eleven dollars,
so that's really highlighting the volatility and the price pressure
is real. You know when that's coming through. And we
talk about the five f so fertilizer, freight, feed and
fuel obviously, but the other one is financed, so s
inflation starts to cap finance will be a challenge as well.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
The dairy farmers pay you with great love and gratitude.
A levee, what are you spending it on at the moment?
Speaker 3 (02:06):
Yes, so it's along a whole range of things, but
about seventy five percent of ours is largely into science
and research and also our extension activities in terms of
the work we do with farmers, so that's where the
bulk of that levee goes. And we've just announced there
was announcements here at a Field Days as well around
we've got a big project to work around with beef
and lamb on dairy beef opportunities, some work around resilient pastures,
(02:29):
and we've just announced what we call responsible dairy, which
is the ability to drive productivity, efficiency and environmental outcomes.
So they take a fair chunk of that money as well.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
And I put it to you, I don't need to
wrap this. Dairy beef is going to be one of
the big issues of the next decade and dairy farming
right and it's a big opportunity.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
We announced that project back on the twelfth of March
and the farmer uptakes been really strong and there's lots
of good work happening across the sector. So coupled with
things like hurting technology, virtual fencing, opportunity to productivity and
beef are big as well.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
All right, Campbell Parker mate, good to see you. And
I know and I know that you're a bit of
a Chiefs fan, are you calling?
Speaker 3 (03:06):
Oh yeah, the Chiefs. I're going to Son over here,
his Crusaders. He's born in Canterbury. But I think it'll
be a good game tonight and I hope the Chiefs win.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
Yeah. Well, I still think the Hurricanes are going to
take a lot of beating regardless of who wins tonight,
because I'm assuming.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
They're going to beat the Blues. But you enjoy, you'll
be at the footy tonight and then yeah, it will be.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
It doesn't look like it's going to rain, so hopefully
it's a good game of footy.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
It's a good day for Day three here at Field
Days
Popular Podcasts
Hey Jonas!
Hey Jonas! The official Jonas Brothers podcast. Hosted by Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas. It’s the Jonas Brothers you know... musicians, actors, and well, yes, brothers. Now, they’re sharing another side of themselves in the playful, intimate, and irreverent way only they can. Spend time with the Jonas Brothers here and stay a little bit longer for deep conversations like never before.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com