National Ag News

New Zealand is much drier than normal, which might impact their milk production.

As of December 14th, the island nation’s National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) soil moisture deficit maps show most of New Zealand is too dry.

University of Wisconsin Center for Dairy Profitability Director Mark Stephenson tells Brownfield New Zealand had a wet early season before the dry spell.  He says, “They are carrying a fair amount of that moisture into this dry stretch that they’re having, so right now, there’s no real impact on production and the forecasts that Fonterra had for milk production look to be similar to last year’s.”

Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand data shows milk production was peaking in October, as usual, but data isn’t available yet for November or December.

Continue reading New Zealand milk production appears stable through dry spell at Brownfield Ag News.