Recorded on 20 April 2022. With over 12,000 businesses across New Zealand employing over 30,000 workers on farms, our success in attracting, retaining and growing our people will determine whether the dairy sector thrives or survives.

Foot-and-mouth disease has reached the tourist hot spot of Bali, and the risk of it entering NZ on the footprint of an unwary traveller or by other means, is now a little too close for comfort.

Recorded on 9 March 2022. Kiwi dairy farmers are increasingly under pressure with ever-changing regulations, acute workforce shortages, and all the complexities that come with a changing world.

It’s no secret that soil carbon levels on New Zealand farms are among the highest in the world. So, why aren’t dairy farmers being rewarded for it?

Stress, depression, anxiety, fatigue and other wellbeing issues are a growing concern in the rural sector. Often, the conversations we have about it are focused on men. But what about rural women?

Does fodder beet have a positive future as a feed for cows in New Zealand? What are some key things to consider when feeding beet through winter?

How do we find skilled, capable and enthusiastic farm staff when they just don’t seem to be available?

How can we lift the national average six-week in-calf rate from its current position of 67%?

How effective is plantain at both reducing nitrate leaching and helping to fill the feed supply in warmer months?

Does selecting bulls that have a high Fertility Breeding Value really improve your herd’s fertility?

How do you hold onto more of your profit when the milk price is up? We’re chatting with DairyNZ business specialist Paul Bird and Waikato farm owner Stephanie Gudgeon about the spending habits of high-profit farmers.

Two agriculture emissions pricing options, alternative to the NZ ETS, have just been released by He Waka Eke Noa. How do the options work and how much will farmers end up paying for their on-farm greenhouse gas emissions?

When it comes to breeding decisions, which animal traits matter the most to Kiwi dairy farmers? Should environmental traits should be part of the Breeding Worth index?

Is agriculture going to be brought into the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS)? And what role does the He Waka Eke Noa partnership have to play in reducing agricultural emissions?

Looking for some fresh ideas to reduce your nitrogen fertiliser use? On this episode, we chat with Waikato sharemilker Chris Numan, who with wife Rachel has made a bunch of changes to reduce both their N fertiliser use and N losses.

How did we arrive at our current wintering practices? What’s next for wintering animals on crop? And what kind of changes can you make on farm now?

Stepping back from the day to day running of the farm is an exciting stage in life, but one that can be complex. What are the big things to consider? What are the common pitfalls and how can you avoid them?

Good weather forecasting helps farmers to make better decisions. But how exactly do meteorologists come up with their predictions? Will forecasting become more accurate?

Once cull cows are on the truck for transport, they can be a bit out of sight, out of mind. But our responsibility for their welfare doesn’t end at the gate.

Where do dairy farmers fit in the climate change discussion? Can farmers have confidence that emissions targets won’t keep shifting?