What guides DairyNZ's investment?
Dairy Tomorrow is our strategy and roadmap to the future. This was developed by partners representing the dairy sector – DairyNZ, Dairy Women’s Network, Federated Farmers and Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand.
This is what guides DairyNZ’s investment.


Where is the levy spent?
DairyNZ’s work includes research and development to create practical on-farm tools, leading on-farm adoption of good practice farming, promoting careers in dairying and advocating for farmers with central and regional government.
Investment through the levy has delivered a wide range of benefits that far outweigh the costs. Farmers' return on investment is at least $15 for each $1 paid through the levy.
For every dollar of levy investment:


Examples of work
Farm systems resilience
- Consulting officer network
- Demonstration and research farm funding
- Farm Planning, DairyBase and Mark & Measure
- Field days, discussion groups and workshops
- Information, tools and templates
Protect and nurture the environment
- Dairy Action for Climate Change
- Advocacy around proposed policy changes
- Pastoral Greenhouse Gas Research Consortium
- Catchment water quality case studies
- Farming with limits and environmental readiness project
Research and development
Current projects include:
- Cow fertility, lifetime productivity, NZAEL database, low N livestock
- Forages for Reduced Nitrate Leaching, hybrid ryegrass breeding, Forage Value Index, fodder beet, pasture persistence and GM grasses.
- Variable milking times e.g. 3in2
Build great workplaces for NZ's talented workforce
- Workplace design and injury reduction
- Input into immigration, vocational education and training policies
- Training for staff and leadership development
- Attracting talent into the industry
Biosecurity
- Tb Free programme
- On-farm biosecurity readiness
Leading on-farm animal care
- Early response service for
at-risk farms - Bobby calf alternatives
- Southern wintering options
Grow vibrant and prosperous communities
- Building public understanding
- Sponsorship of community groups and events
- Education including Rosie the Cow, school kits and farm visits
How are investments monitored?
DairyNZ has independent auditing process in place to ensure:
- The levy is spent on the right things
- That the work paid for by the levy is done, and
- That the work provides a worthwhile result to farmers for their investment.
Review the latest audit report here.
The Milksolids Levy
All dairy farmers who produce milk from cows that is supplied to a dairy company pay a levy. This includes all dairy farmers, sharemilkers, and dairy farm leaseholders. The levy is collected under the terms of the Commodity Levies Act 1990.
For information about schedules for the current financial year please contact info@dairynz.co.nz.