data platforms, advice services and information sharing, for example. These tools help farmers focus on farm targets, benchmarks and allow them to consider their options and make changes where they are needed. With laws and regulations continuously changing and new policies being signed off, tools like data platforms can help farms with ad- justments to adhere to regulation changes because of easy access to specific data for example. This is how the sector has achieved a better yield, all the while remaining as efficient as possible.
Tools and services
To farm more productively and efficiently, farmers in New Zealand make use of a broad range of tools and services. For example: Tools Agrigate – a data sharing and exchange platform that LIC jointly de- veloped with Fonterra, this tool enables dairy farmers to make the most efficient use of their resources. The platform brings together data from various systems, including LIC data, Fonterra data, fertiliser company data and financials. Farm Gauge – this is a self-assessment tool which allows farmers to assess many areas of their farm system – strategy, feed, finance, health, safety and well-being, herd management, people, environment and infrastructure. Around 800 farmers used Farm Gauge in 2019. DairyBase – DairyNZ’s extensive platform which has a wide range of
farm performance data which farmers can use to benchmark their per- formance, and help inform their decisions about how they can improve their farming operation. Forage Value Index (FVI) – A DairyNZ tool that farmers use which is an independent, region-specific, profit-based index which farmers use to select the most suitable ryegrass option.
Services Farm advisors and DairyNZ staff also play an important role in pro- viding advice to improve farm operations. Farmers also often use Dairy- Base with their farm advisor or with their DairyNZ consulting officer. DairyNZ offers a free service to farmers to connect with experienced farmers for advice on various topics.
▶DAIRY GLOBAL | Volume 7, No. 1, 2020 11
Focus on emissions It’s one thing for dairy farmers to have an increase in milk out- put and be profitable, however the consequential impacts have to be taken into account. DairyNZ has highlighted that the impact on the environment is certainly a factor that is con- tinuously being considered. There is a strong emphasis on the environment. Today farmers are focused on productivity and efficiency, and taking responsibility for the care of our people, animals and our environment, DairyNZ chief executive Dr Tim Mackle says. He adds that, “farmers have been focusing on
New Zealand reached record milk production per herd per cow this year.
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