Priority 1: Improving the outlook for opportunities and the future of dairy farming

What does good look like?

By 2020 

• Farmers are more positive about the future of dairying on the West Coast
• Farmers know where opportunities for improved farm performance and resilience exist and are confident and enthusiastic about starting to implement these
• Farmers are continuing to improve their standards of animal care 

By 2030 

• Farmers in the West Coast are positive and proud about the dairy industry and its contribution to their community and region 
• Farm businesses are thriving and high standards in animal care are being achieved
• Headroom from growth is captured through application of innovative systems and technologies on farm 
• Animal care standards exceed the minimum requirements with good practice applied across all indicators

Outcome areas

• Reigniting passion for dairy

  Short Term 1-2 Years

  • Farmers and community recognise the positive contribution dairy makes to the region.
  • Farmers proudly associate themselves with a unique West Coast brand. 
  • Farmers positively engage with the support sector, including Westland Milk.

  Long Term 10 years

  • Farmers are proud of their role in sustaining a vibrant community.
  • The next generation of farmers see the West Coast as a viable option to start/continue their dairy career.

  Projects involved

  • New West Coast project

• Improving financial performance

  Short Term 1-2 Years

  • Lessons learnt from hard times are consolidated and embedded into future strategies
  • A set of benchmarks is established for the competitiveness of the West Coast region
  • Awareness + benchmarking + farm data + FAP leads to an awareness of opportunity for farm businesses.

  Medium Term 2-3 years

  • Farmers can articulate their goals as a basis for review of systems and financial performance.
  • Farmers know BEMP and can survive a downturn without compromising standards on animal care, people and environment.

  Long Term 10 years

  • Revised systems implemented that deliver on profit goals mean that dairy remains highest value land use.
  • Farmers have a pathway to achieve their goals and are confident they are getting there and it is relevant to their biophysical and regulatory context.

  Projects involved

  • Farm Assessment and Planning
  • Competitiveness
  • New West Coast project

• Confidence in systems and options

  Short Term 1-2 Years

  • Autumn dry off strategies to achieve pasture cover targets and BCS are implemented.

  Medium Term 2-3 years

  • Regionally relevant information is used to support farmers with a review of farm systems that are more able to withstand price shocks and larger scale adverse events. 

  Long Term 10 years

  • Implementation of systems and options results in maintaining profitable, resilient businesses.
  • There is headroom for future growth of dairying in the region due to application of new technology on farm which is reducing nitrate leaching.

  Projects involved

  • Systems that work

• Animal Care

  Short Term 1-2 Years

  • All farmers know their minimum animal care requirements
  • Animal care indicators continue an improving trend.

  Medium Term 2-3 years

  • All farmers are executing minimum standards of animal care
  • Animal care indicators are at/exceeding the national results.

  Long Term 10 years

  • Farmers move from meeting minimum standards of animal care to being proactive at improving practices
  • Farmers are adopting new practices and innovation to strive for higher standards of animal care.

  Projects involved

  • Animal care