Dairy Insight Holding Consultation Meetings

Dairy Insight Holding Consultation Meetings

Dairy InSight is holding a series of farmer consultation meetings to outline how it is investing dairy farmers’ funds in industry good activities.

Dairy InSight Chief Executive Peter Bodeker says the meetings, from November 3 to 7, provide an opportunity for dairy farmers to gain a better understanding of Dairy InSight’s activities and the type of industry good investments being made.

“It is important to Dairy InSight that farmers support their industry good investment and take an active role in influencing our investment decisions – for their own benefit.”

Mr Bodeker says there have been some major changes to the way dairy farmers’ investment in industry good activities is being managed, since Dairy InSight started collecting a 3.4c/kg MS levy on June 1 this year.

“The most significant is that farmer members are now aware of their actual contribution to these activities, enabling them to better gauge progress being made on their own farms from that investment.”

The meetings will be used to update farmer members – the country’s 17,000 levy paying dairy farm owners and sharemilkers – on Dairy InSight’s first year activities and key investments. There will also be opportunity for farmers to provide feedback and question Dairy InSight on activities being funded.

Representatives from the Animal Health Board and Dexcel have been invited to speak at the meetings, as they represent some key investment areas for Dairy InSight – Tb eradication, the environment and extension services.

“The Animal Health Board absorbs 32% of the levy for its work in Tb eradication, so it is important that it meets dairy farmers where possible and updates them on the success of its eradication programmes,” Mr Bodeker says.

“Likewise, Dexcel also receives a large proportion of farmers’ industry good investment for its extension, education and research work.”

Members will also be given a strategic overview of where Dairy InSight, as a farmer owned organisation, is heading.

“Dairy InSight now has a farmer member-elected board that is focused on ensuring members receive a good return on the investment they are making in industry good activities.”

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