This Week On Tower Sector Report

This Week On Tower Sector Report - NZ Dairy Business Conference Monday 18th April 2011 At 8.30pm

This week TOWER Sector Report travels to Rotorua, this year’s host of the NZ Dairy Business conference. Presenter John Stewart caught up with some heavy hitters at one of the most significant gatherings for the dairy industry. The annual conference was initially begun by a small group of herd owners as a forum to discuss their particular problems, relating in those days to what was then a large herd of 300 cows or more. An original group of twelve farmers was involved - mainly in the Bay of Plenty. With a history stretching back 42 years, organisers pride themselves on driving the NZ dairy industry to greater heights through a focus on innovation, excellence, and global opportunities. Over the years the conference has done much to improve dairy farming in New Zealand. The wealth and expertise gathered in one room with some of the country’s most successful farmers is now such that organisers decided to give the name of the show more of a business flavour.

TOWER Sector Report tracked down two of the industry’s top entrepreneurs enjoying major successes with dairy operations in South America. Mark Townshend heads up the Manuka syndicate of farmer-investors which milks about 20,000 cows in the southern part of Chile on the same latitude as Palmerston North. There are plans to expand the herd to more than double its current size. Townshend points out volcanic soils and a similar climate are ideal for New Zealand genetic stock. He says the much cheaper price of land was a main driver in setting up in Chile. The top farm out of 14 run by the syndicate produces 14,000 litres per hectare with productivity not far behind on other properties. Also, learn the latest global developments from Trade Minister, Tim Groser, who delivered a very upbeat speech to the gathering of the biggest players in dairying. He told John Stewart he can see no end in sight to NZ’s record commodity prices – which might be just as well, as he believes New Zealanders are living beyond their means.

Also this week on TOWER Sector Report, correspondent Drew Chappell heads to the tiny settlement of Mokai to investigate a development that will soon change the face of New Zealand’s dairy industry. On the heels of MAF’s Maori Agribusiness report, Drew looks at the Miraka Corporation, comprised of three independent Maori trusts based around the lower Waikato region. The corporation is aiming to process more than a million litres of milk a day in its brand new plant, powered by a trust-owned geothermal power generator. As a venture, it’s the first of its kind seen anywhere in the world, an innovative approach to a traditional concept. Miraka’s Chairman Kingi Smiler speaks to Drew about the importance of fulfilling their role as Kaitiaki, or guardians, of the land.

“We know, as Maori, it’s just as important to secure the future of the land for our children as it is to utilise it now,” says Mr. Smiler.

Agriculture Minister David Carter also speaks to Drew about the MAF report on Maori Farming, outlining the findings that an estimated one million hectares of Maori owned land are currently underutilised. “The Government has identified Maori agribusiness as a key priority and these reports support our work in targeting opportunities to lift the productivity of Maori land and agribusiness,” says Mr Carter.

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