KEY POINTS:
Time is running out for dairy farmers, sharemilkers and leaseholders to vote on the future of the DairyNZ industry levy.
Voting on continuing the levy - invested by DairyNZ in science and research - was being held from May 1 to May 30.
DairyNZ chief executive Tim Mackle said about 30 per cent of 14,000 potential votes had been cast.
"The main issue at the moment is farmers need to get out and have their say. Time's running out," Mackle said.
Farmers were voting on whether there should be a new levy order after the current one runs out in March.
The vote also covered raising the levy from 3.4c to 3.6c per kg of milksolids from June next year.
The increase was needed to maintain the current investment rate at about $50 million a year, Mackle said.
"There's a a lot of good science in the pipeline now that's already been done and we will never be known as a dairy nation for our cheapest labour, cheapest land, cheapest cost of feed and so on," he said.
"We have to be the world's fastest adopters of innovative technology that's going to keep us up there with the pack if not ahead of the pack."
The Agriculture Minister would have the final say on a new levy order.
"There is a level of concern that some farmers will vote 'no' because of that [increase] and possibly without an in-depth understanding of the breadth and depth of the investment and why it's needed," Mackle said.
Frank Brenmuhl, chairman of Federated Farmers' dairy section, said it was essential that farmers voted to keep the levy.
"Everyone will pay regardless of how it's done," Brenmuhl said.
"If we don't put the levy in place then Government will be putting levies on us in other aspects."
* Farmers can vote by post, fax or online, and can call an election hotline (0508 666 446) for advice.
