The Country 10/02/26: Campbell Parker talks to Jamie Mackay

The chief executive of DairyNZ encourages farmers to vote YES in the upcoming Milksolids Levy vote. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Busy times for dairy farmers in the dairy industry. They've
got a couple of votes coming up. Obviously, as you
heard on yesterday's show from Grant McCallum and Andrew Hoggard,
you've got to decide whether you want the money back
from Fonterra. I think I know which way that vote
will go, and the other one is the industry good vote,
the milk solids levy vote. Do you want dairyen Zed

(00:21):
to continue on with its advocacy work. Well, let's ask
the chief executive, Campbell Parker. Turkeys don't vote for an
early Christmas. Campbell, You'll be encouraging farmers to vote.

Speaker 2 (00:33):
Yes, afternoon, Jamie. Look, we're encouraging farmers to vote. It
happens once every six years and it's really important they
have their say around the future of dairyen Zed. So
advocacy one important part of work we do and we'll
talk a bit about that today, but also the research
and science and also the tools that help farmers continue
to get better every year. So really important milestone for

(00:55):
dairyen Zed and for farmers to have that vote. Voting
opens next Monday the sixteenth and runs for a month
through till the thirteenth of March.

Speaker 1 (01:03):
Okay, here's your chance to pitch to the audience. Why
should they vote yes? I see you've got an AI
chat bott or something going on your website.

Speaker 2 (01:11):
We have, yeah, we have on Daisy. And look, the
first thing I would say, Jamie is farmers are proudly
invested in their own research and development for the sector,
right back to the formation the Dairy Board back in
the nineteen twenties, and so that's enabled a lot of
work to continue to get ahead of what keeps coming
us so from research and science, and that independent science
and research also helps form things like when we talk

(01:33):
with politicians around advocacy and policy positions, so they are
really important. And then from the science, how do they
get turned into tools that farmers can use to continue
to get better every season. So look, my personal view
is the levy is really important and the teams are
working hard to make sure they deliver value for that
leve every day. That's a really important focus for us.

Speaker 1 (01:55):
There's a lot of chat around the RIMA reforms and
this is I guess we're an indo extry good body.
Advocating for farmers is worth Perhaps it's weight and gold
or are you going hard enough? Some people would say
you're not.

Speaker 2 (02:08):
Look, there's a submission process that has to actually closes
this Friday. So our team's been working really hard on
that since the draft legislation came out pre Christmas, I
think ninth of December from memory and work through over
that whole summer period, work closely with Federated Farmers and
Beef and Lamb and really called out where the devil
in the detail of some of the wording, the things

(02:28):
that won't work for farmers, and been really clear about that,
but also saying what the potential solutions are. So overall
we're supportive of the direction, but we've got to make
sure that it's practical and implementable for farmers, and that
is where our teams work really closely, not only a
submission process, but then they'll be work with both ministers

(02:48):
and the Select Committee process.

Speaker 1 (02:50):
Federated Farmers, Beef and Lamb New Zealand here you've mentioned
the other industry. Good bodies will be at National Lamb
Day the Parliamentary barbecue tomorrow. Does Derri and z get
an inviter or is this the sheep farmers only?

Speaker 2 (03:03):
Yeah? No, I've got an invite Jamie. Unfortunately I can't
get there. I'm in Wellington today but I'm in Southland
for the next three days with womumuir Field Days, so
but we'll make sure we've got a couple of people
heading along to that. Yeah, missed it last year as well.
I can't remember what the cluash was, but I was
talking to Tod Charteris this morning on the same flight
and I know he's looking forward to being there tomorrow

(03:23):
as well.

Speaker 1 (03:24):
Rabobank indeed one of the great supporters of National Lamb Day.
Campbell park A, chief executive of Dairy en Z. We'll
miss you tomorrow, but we'll catch you at Waimumu. And
remember farmers voting for the Milk Solids levy vote opens
on Monday, the sixteenth of February, closes Friday, the thirteenth March.

Speaker 2 (03:41):
We'll see you, Campbell, Thanks Joby, look forward to seeing
on Friday.