Talking Dairy

Strong advice plays an important role in confident decision‑making. As farming continues to change, the way advice is shaped, shared, and supported matters more than ever. In this Talking Dairy episode, you’ll hear how strong, well‑connected advisors help farmers grow their businesses, and why investing in advisor capability lifts outcomes right across the sector. Jo Finer from the Institute of Rural Professionals of New Zealand and Mark Williams from DairyNZ share what this means in pr...

In this episode of Talking Dairy, Northland farmer and DairyNZ associate director Greg Collins shares an inside look at his year in the role, as the search for the next associate director to join the DairyNZ Board gets underway. If you’re a dairy farmer who’s ready to grow your governance skills and contribute to the dairy sector, this episode offers some great insights into what you need to know. Greg is the 15th associate director on DairyNZ’s Board, since the initiative was i...

Experience the energy and insights from the 2025 Precision Dairy Farming Conference. In this episode, you’ll hear from Teagasc researchers Dr Bernadette O’Brien and Dr Lisa Parce, who share what Ireland’s pasture-based farmers are doing with precision technology. How are Irish farmers making tech decisions, what motivates them to adopt new tools, and which technologies are becoming more common? Bernadette and Lisa also break down the social and farm-system factors linked to higher adop...

Experience the energy and insights from the 2025 Precision Dairy Farming Conference. This episode features Sharn Roskam and Stuart Taylor, who were part of the farmer panel. Sharn farms in Winton, Southland, with her husband and four children, milking 600 cows on a 280-hectare self-contained system. Stu is a fifth-generation dairy farmer and General Manager of Farming at Craigmore Sustainables, overseeing 20 dairy farms and 16,000 cows across Canterbury and North Otago. He combines str...

Whether you joined us in Christchurch or couldn’t make it, this episode is your chance to relive the energy and insights from the 2025 Precision Dairy Farming Conference. Hear from Dr Nicolas Lyons, Dr Callum Eastwood, and Dr Jenny Jago as they reflect on the event. If you were there, you’ll enjoy revisiting the highlights and hearing what stood out. If you missed it, you’ll get to hear from a range of speakers, their research and the ideas shaping the future of dairy. This conver...

In this episode of Talking Dairy, we unpack the findings of the most in-depth independent return on investment (ROI) ever – commissioned by DairyNZ to provide farmers with more transparency. Join host Jac McGowan as she talks with Dr Alan Pearson from Nimmo Bell, the independent analysts behind the report, and DairyNZ Chair Tracy Brown, who commissioned the work. They explain: How $341 million in levy revenue delivered an estimated $2.98 billion in value for farmers between 2020 and 202...

Every minute in the farm dairy counts. Research shows the right milking routine can save you hours every week. In this episode of Talking Dairy in 10, host Jac McGowan chats with Dairy Training tutors Julie Morgan and Pete Morgan about how small changes at milking can make a big difference. They explain how the free MilkSmart workshop can help you fine-tune your milking routine using proven DairyNZ science including MaxT, which can shave minutes off every milking, and in some cases over three...

In this episode of Talking Dairy in 10, host Jac McGowan chats with Noldy Rust, Chair of SMASH (Smaller Milk and Supply Herds), and Frank Portegys from DairyNZ, about how this grassroots initiative is helping farmers connect, learn, and grow stronger businesses together. SMASH began as a local idea to celebrate and support smaller herd farmers. Partnering with DairyNZ, it’s grown into a nationwide network, offering practical learning open to everyone. Find out what’s coming up on the SMASH ca...