Ear to the Ground: New Zealand produces 4 times the amount of milk we do!

[Toman13]

I watched a bit of "Ear to the Ground" just there. There's a lot of people that comment on the way New Zealand and Ireland are similar, but when it comes to agriculture, we are nowhere near their league. Their average farm size is 500 acres(while ours is only 81), they produce four times the amount of milk than we do, and, unlike them, we don't have to irrigate land to keep it productive(In fact, it's nearly the opposite we need). However, there was an interesting point made: New Zealand's dairy sector really started to take off after they took away subsidies in the 80's. While there is need for them for small farmers in the North-West, farmers in the South East or Midlands should not be getting them: They have the land. Rural Communities in NZ have full employment thanks to agriculture, and it seems that, rather than helping farming, the EU subsidies had hindered it. If only the Dairy farmers in this country knew.....farmers are properly the most Pro-EU of the Irish people, so if they see how the EU is hindering us......

[Des Quirell]

I watched a bit of "Ear to the Ground" just there. There's a lot of people that comment on the way New Zealand and Ireland are similar, but when it comes to agriculture, we are nowhere near their league. Their average farm size is 500 acres(while ours is only 81), they produce four times the amount of milk than we do, and, unlike them, we don't have to irrigate land to keep it productive(In fact, it's nearly the opposite we need). However, there was an interesting point made: New Zealand's dairy sector really started to take off after they took away subsidies in the 80's. While there is need for them for small farmers in the North-West, farmers in the South East or Midlands should not be getting them: They have the land. Rural Communities in NZ have full employment thanks to agriculture, and it seems that, rather than helping farming, the EU subsidies had hindered it. If only the Dairy farmers in this country knew.....farmers are properly the most Pro-EU of the Irish people, so if they see how the EU is hindering us......

Was there any mention of their unique distance from their nearest market?

There is a great distance between New Zealand and Australia. They can only transport processed products and not the raw material. Ever flown from one country to another?

[SPN]

When the milk quotas end, and everybody and their brother ramps up milk production, the price of milk will go through the floor.

Cue bankrupt farmers left, right and centre.

[slippy wicket]

Subsides are not the problem, they are there to compensate for keeping food prices lower than they would be otherwise/. The issue is milk quotas, which are being removed in a few years time.

[He3]

That was a very interesting programme. The comments of the New Zealander Leonie about Ireland's potential were well thought out and heartfelt. With her Irish husband and herself running an enterprise milking 1000 cows, and in a way that they can get away for a months holiday together, she knows her industry.

She also envies us our reliable Summer rain, that is a huge resource.

Well worth catching on Player.

The older farmer's comments on how they worked through the removal of price supports in the 80's was fascinating. SPN should tune in. Thirty years ago Ireland and NZ produced similar quantities of milk. Now they outstrip us fourfold.

[Sailor]

I watched a bit of "Ear to the Ground" just there. There's a lot of people that comment on the way New Zealand and Ireland are similar, but when it comes to agriculture, we are nowhere near their league. Their average farm size is 500 acres(while ours is only 81), they produce four times the amount of milk than we do, and, unlike them, we don't have to irrigate land to keep it productive(In fact, it's nearly the opposite we need). However, there was an interesting point made: New Zealand's dairy sector really started to take off after they took away subsidies in the 80's. While there is need for them for small farmers in the North-West, farmers in the South East or Midlands should not be getting them: They have the land. Rural Communities in NZ have full employment thanks to agriculture, and it seems that, rather than helping farming, the EU subsidies had hindered it. If only the Dairy farmers in this country knew.....farmers are properly the most Pro-EU of the Irish people, so if they see how the EU is hindering us......

Good post. However there are 2 things you need to consider in more detail. Firstly, is the like for like comparison between Ireland and New Zealand a really valid one and secondly, even though there may have been a temporal coincidence between the pick up in agriculture and the removal of subsidies can you establish, beyond reasonable doubt, that the link is causal?

[MacBeth]

Fine Gael claim to be a free market capitalist party. However they shield the big blueshirt farmers from the effects of free trade. Irish farmers get billions of euros every year to do nothing so that prices will be kept artificially high. They are also protected from competition such as Brazilian beef. However Fine Gael has no problem throwing the urban working class at the mercy of international capitalism.

I wonder how much the Bruton family has received in EU grants down the years. More than enough to pay for little Richard to go to university in England.

[Analyzer]

Irish dairy farmers are the lowest cost producers in Europe.

The quota system effectively kept milk production in Germany sustainable.

Though, when they bail out us, we are expected to grateful. We let them make rules to suit themselves, it is normal.

[jpc]

They ran over the environmental issues pretty quickly.
It's all done with irrigation.
Thats expensive on the scale I was watching there.
And what level is the water table dropping at?

[Astral Peaks]

Irish dairy farmers are the lowest cost producers in Europe.

The quota system effectively kept milk production in Germany sustainable.

Though, we they bail out us, it is because there is supposed to be our fault.

Sorry, can you revisit this, please?

Haven't a clue what you are getting at.