Dairy Insight Visits Canterbury Dairy Industry

MEDIA RELEASE
1 December 2004

Dairy Insight Visits Canterbury Dairy Industry

Dairy InSight, the dairy industry’s primary funder of research and industry-good activities, will meet with farmer representatives, industry and local government today to outline its investment portfolio and strategic direction.

Peter Bodeker, Chief Executive of Dairy InSight says, “It is important for Dairy InSight to visit the dairy farming communities around New Zealand and we are pleased to be returning to the Canterbury region. During the visit we aim to communicate the value and benefits we are achieving for farmers and the dairy industry as a whole, through investment of the levy.”

Bodeker says “In the 2004 – 05 period there were 99 industry-good projects, with a total value of $43.4million. Canterbury is a prime example of investment projects in action, with Dairy InSight working with a number of Canterbury based research providers including Lincoln University, Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) and Institute of Environmental Science & Research (ESR).”

All investments for the current year and in the future will not only have to produce a measurable return to dairy farmers but also clearly fit within the Strategic Framework.

The Strategic Framework for Dairy Farming’s Future was jointly adopted by the Boards of Dairy InSight and Dexcel in May 2004. It involves industry-wide and industry supported targets with the vision of “World’s Best in Dairying” and the purpose of enhancing the sustainable competitive advantage of New Zealand dairy farmers. The four platforms of the Strategic Framework are; Farm Productivity, Farming Business, Community Interface and Operational Capabilities.

The Reporting Season, of which the Canterbury visit is a part, will stretch over the next few months as Dairy InSight’s staff and board undertake regional visits to dairying communities. These visits will cover not only presentations but meeting with local farmer groups, farm visits, rural professionals and other interested stakeholder groups.

Examples of Dairy InSight Funded projects being undertaken in and of benefit to the Canterbury region include:

Project # Project Title Organisation

10294 Catchment Studies (Waikakahi, South Canterbury) Fonterra

20176 Improving Water Use Efficiency on Irrigated
Dairy Farms AgResearch

10279 Kelloggs Rural Leadership Programme Lincoln University

10297 Forage Mixed Rations for Increased Farm Profitability Dexcel

20100 Employment Documentation Program Amuri Dairy Employers Group

10051 Land Treatment – Sustsaining the Environmental
integrity of South Island irrigated dairy farms Lincoln University

20090 Microbial Typing Database ESR

20150 Modelling Zoonotic Factors ESR

20133 Cereal Cultivars FAR

20179 Maize Forage Trade Code of Practice Maize Forage Trading Group

The complete 2004/05 Dairy InSight investment portfolio can be found on our website: www.dairyinsight.co.nz

Dairy InSight is an Incorporated Society of 17,300 members responsible for co-ordinating and funding industry-good activities on behalf of dairy farmers and sharemilkers. Its vision is ‘profitable and sustainable Dairy Farming’ and its mission is ‘enabling dairy farmers to benefit from innovation’. Dairy InSight was established following deregulation of the dairy industry and the dissolution of the Dairy Board. It was recognised that an independent organisation was needed to fund those activities that benefit the dairy industry as a whole – to keep the New Zealand dairy industry ahead of the rest of the world. Dairy InSight is funded via levies collected under the Commodity Levies Act (1990) – which dairy farmers voted for in 2002.

ENDS

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