5 minute read
The Dairy Exporter March in 1971
50 years ago in the Dairy Exporter March
As NZ Dairy Exporter counts down to its centenary in 2025, we look back at the issues of earlier decades. 50 Years Ago – March 1971.
Cover photo: A northern herd lazily confronts man and dog across a patch of summer shade.
BRITISH PM’S ASSURANCE TO BOARD CHAIRMAN
While in Britain last month for quota negotiations, Mr F. L. Onion, CMG, Chairman of the Dairy Board, called on the Prime Minister, the Rt Hon. Edward Heath, at 10 Downing Street and in a halfhour of discussion again emphasised the vital importance to New Zealand of special arrangements for our dairy produce in the event of Britain’s entry to the EEC.
“Mr Heath repeated the assurance which he had given me and the New Zealand Government last year and said he and his Ministers are continuing to press the case as presented for favourable conditions for our dairy products,” Mr Onion said.
“It is likely to be July or August, or even later, before negotiations for British entry into the EEC will be concluded. This is a time of uncertainty for our pastoral industries and for New Zealand as a whole,” said Mr Onion.
“We must look at the facts realistically. Demand for our products in the United Kingdom is as strong as they have ever been, while the demand in other countries is increasingly steady.
“The so-called ‘butterberg’ of Europe has disappeared; so also has the former surplus of milk powder. The EEC has reduced its export subsidies on butter and milkfat several times in recent months, with the result that there is a general upward movement in world prices for these products.”
CHANGE IN DEMAND FOR AB BREEDS
This is the first year in which more Friesian than Jersey semen appears to have been used in the Dairy Board’s AB service, according to the Senior Research Officer of the Board’s Farm Production Division, Mr P. Shannon.
He told the last meeting of the Herd Improvement Council it was estimated that Friesian accounted for 52 per cent, Jersey for 42 per cent and other breeds for 6 per cent of all semen used.
The Director of Farm Production, Mr J. W. Stichbury, suggested the Board should buy equal numbers of Jersey and Friesian bulls for its sire proving scheme until the pattern of use had settled down.
In the Board’s 1969-70 cow census the proportion of herds in which Jersey blood predominated was 73 per cent and in which Friesian blood dominated, 9 per cent. The proportion of herds which were predominantly Friesian-Jersey first cross was 3 per cent.
FARMCHAIR THOUGHTS – DIFFICULTIES
While the government is becoming concerned over the welfare of the farmer, the average man in the street is completely ignorant of the difficulties being faced by a large percentage of those on the land.
In spite of the alleged substandard conditions under which employees in some of our key industries have to work, other industries seem to have the utmost difficulty in persuading them to try a change of employment. This suggests that taking everything into account, these strike-plagued industries aren’t bad places to work in.
Farmers independently and collectively are trying to weather the present storm by increasing efficiency, lowering costs where possible (less employed labour, marginal levels of maintenance) by exploring and where the margin dictates a change, moving into other avenues of farming, and by diversification.
• Thanks to the Hocken Library, Dunedin.
March Events
Explore your options
Want to know what the future looks like for your farm? Find out at a DairyNZ Explore Your Options event near you. Visit dairynz.co.nz/events.
29 | APRIL
HAMILTON 20 21
Regional Leader Far North
Lower Northland
Whangarei West
Waikato
Leo Pekar 027 211 1389
Amy Weston 027 807 9686 Hamish Matthews 021 242 5719
Ryan Baxter 021 809 569
Regional Leader South Auckland
Hauraki Plains/Coromandel
Te Aroha/Waihi
Cambridge Hamilton
Huntly/Tatuanui Matamata/Kereone
Pirongia Otorohanga/King Country Waipa South
Bay of Plenty
Regional Leader Central Plateau
South Waikato/Rotorua South Eastern Bay of Plenty Central Bay of Plenty
Taranaki
Wilma Foster 021 246 2147
Mike Bramley 027 486 4344 Michael Booth 021 245 8055
Euan Lock 027 293 4401
Lizzy Moore 021 242 2127 Ashley Smith 027 807 3049
Brigitte Ravera 027 288 1244 Frank Portegys 027 807 9685 Steve Canton 027 475 0918 Phil Irvine 027 483 9820 Kirsty Dickens 027 483 2205
Andrew Reid 027 292 3682
Colin Grainger-Allen 021 225 8345 Angela Clarke 027 276 2675 Ross Bishop 027 563 1785 Kevin McKinley 027 288 8238
Join DairyNZ’s Farmers’ Forum 2021
Farmers’ Forum 2021 is coming to Hamilton on 29 April with a range of speakers, and interactive sessions, designed to help you sustain success on-farm.
Southland farmers can join a local livestream of keynote speakers, while farmers nationwide will be able to join two Forum speaker webinars in May.
Regional Leader South Taranaki Central Taranaki Coastal Taranaki
North Taranaki
Lower North Island
Mark Laurence 027 704 5562 Ashely Primrose 027 304 9823 Mark Laurence 027 704 5562 Mark Laurence 027 704 5562
Ian Burmeister 027 593 4122
The Forum is free for levy paying dairy farmers and their teams - register at dairynz.co.nz/farmersforum.
milking conference 2021
S
Do it once
do it right
Once a day conference
Once a day conference is back for 2021! Taking place in sunny Nelson on 5-6 May 2021.
If once a day or flexible milking has got you curious, or if you’re already a convert, this conference is for you.
You’ll experience excellent speakers, success stories and entertaining debates that will challenge your thinking.
Horowhenua/Coastal and Southern Manawatu Kate Stewart 027 702 3760
Wairarapa/Tararua Eketahuna Hawke's Bay Northern Manawatu/Woodville Abby Scott 021 244 3428 Rob Brazendale 021 683 139 Gray Beagley 021 286 4346 Janine Swansson 027 381 2025
Central Manawatu/Rangitikei/Whanganui Rob Brazendale 021 683 139
South Island – Head: Tony Finch 027 706 6183
Top of South Island/West Coast
Nelson/Marlborough Mark Shadwick 021 287 7057
West Coast
Canterbury/North Otago
Regional Leader North Canterbury Central Canterbury Mid Canterbury South Canterbury North Otago
Southland/South Otago
Regional Leader West Otago/Gore South Otago Northern/Central Southland Angela Leslie 021 277 2894
Rachael Russell 027 261 3250 Amy Chamberlain 027 243 0943 Alice Reilly 027 3798 069 Hugh Jackson 027 513 7200 Rachael Russell 027 261 3250 Alana Hall 027 290 5988
Ollie Knowles 027 226 4420 Keely Sullivan 027 524 5890 Guy Michaels 021 302 034 Nicole E Hammond 021 240 8529
Eastern Southland Nathan Nelson 021 225 6931
Western Southland Ollie Knowles 027 226 4420
