The Dairy Exporter in 1971

50 years ago in the Dairy Exporter July

As NZ Dairy Exporter counts down to its centenary in 2025, we look back at the issues of earlier decades. 50 Years Ago – July 1971.

DAIRY INDUSTRY’S RECORD EXPORT EARNING

The export earnings of the dairy industry from milk products in the trading year ending May 31, 1971 amounted to approximately $250 million, which sets a new record, exceeding the previous record of about $150 million.

Announcing this at the Dominion Dairy Conference, the Board chairman, Mr F. L. Onion, said that if the value of dairy meats was added to the total for milk products, the total export earnings of the dairy industry reached $320 million, or close to 30 per cent of New Zealand’s total overseas exchange receipts in the past financial year. The achievement is the more notable when the extremely poor seasonal conditions are considered.

ESTABLISHING YOUNG MEN ON FARMS

Just how young men were to be encouraged to take up farming and to be settled on the land was one of the major problems in agriculture today, said Mr B. Townshend (NZCDC), moving a remit at the Dominion Dairy Conference. The remit read:

“That Government be asked to sponsor a scheme to financially encourage and establish approved young farmers on the land.”

The dairy industry was losing a lot of young men because of lack of adequate incentive and reward for their efforts in farming. Farmers were turning from milk production to beef. If farming was to have a future, the best type of young men should be encouraged into farming.

He suggested that selected young men should be encouraged with better finance and realistic tax concessions while they were accumulating capital.

There was a big challenge ahead of the industry and it was essential that they have between 1000 and 1200 young men coming into dairy farming each year, said Mr R. G. Calvert (NZCDC), seconding the remit.

FARMCHAIR THOUGHTS BY THE LAIRD

I recall the all-too-brief era of very high wool prices, when many wool growers were denied the opportunity of participating in the “bonanza” by waterfront strikes. I’m not predicting that industrial unrest is likely to result in the dairy industry suffering a major loss financially, but there are signs that such a catastrophe is just possible.

If it follows the pattern set at the time of the wool boom, the Federation of Labour (FOL) will claim a share of the increased prosperity due to higher returns received for dairy products. My hope is that some consideration will be given to the situation the dairy farmer has faced (in some cases unsuccessfully) during the past few years when, along with difficult seasons, has come an increase in costs that has not been matched by higher returns.

During a period when the average dairy farmer has had to tighten his belt, the wage and salary earner and the industrialist have contributed to inflation by demanding and getting bigger pay packets and sustained profit margins.

I will be disappointed if these same farmers are denied the opportunity of closing the gap, at least to the extent of netting per hour of work done the same as received by the average “skilled” waterside worker or his freezing works counterpart. Unfortunately, I have the feeling that I won’t be spared this disappointment.

Cover photo: New Zealand recombined sterilised fullcream milk is popular in Barbados, as evidenced in this beach scene near Bridgetown.

JERSEY PRICE SMASHED

The New Zealand record price for a Jersey cow was smashed when Mr Rion Belfield, Madeley Park, Ngarua, paid $6300 for the “Folly Sultan” cow, Big Hollow Sultan’s Bell, VHC. The sale came at the 1971 dispersal of the big Holloway Jersey Stud, owned by Mr R. N. Sterling, Matakohe.

The previous record of $5460 was paid by Mr D. McIntosh, Woodville, for Big Hollow Choice Blondie, VHC, at the 1967 dispersal of the same stud.