The dairy industry's 2016/17 season's economic success and the need to produce more milk sustainably were key themes at DairyNZ's Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Rotorua today.
DairyNZ acting chair Barry Harris said last season saw dairy export earnings reach $13.4 billion, which is on par with the five-year average, and illustrates how well farmers have responded to the low milk prices of previous seasons.
"I see the decade ahead of us to be transformational for our sector. Never before have we had a stronger mandate for the dairy sector to concentrate on productivity - to produce more from less, and to do so sustainably," says Barry.
"We support initiatives that incentivise farmers to use the best environmental practices. While the 2010s have been about dairy positioning itself for the changes ahead, I see the 2020s as heavily focused on making those changes.
"New Zealand's environmental reputation, the reputation that gives us an advantage on the global market, relies on us upholding and improving our sustainability."