Allan Barber

About

Now in his semi-retirement at Point Wells near Warkworth, Allan is a freelance agricultural journalist writing mainly about the meat industry which has remained his key area of interest since leaving AFFCO in 1997.

Member for

12 years 3 months

Latest articles

NZ and Australia likely to trigger US beef quota

High beef production volumes comes when prices are high, US demand strong, and exchange rate low

15th Aug 15, 5:30pm

by Allan Barber

High beef production volumes comes when prices are high, US demand strong, and exchange rate low

Fixing Fonterra

Allan Barber says Fonterra’s restructure is more about poor strategy than milk price

6th Aug 15, 10:49am

by Allan Barber

Allan Barber says Fonterra’s restructure is more about poor strategy than milk price

Top performance doesn’t depend on industry structure

Farmer attitudes the key to earning top returns according to conference research. Industry in surprisingly good heart, reports Allan Barber

29th Jul 15, 4:33pm

by Allan Barber

Farmer attitudes the key to earning top returns according to conference research. Industry in surprisingly good heart, reports Allan Barber

Silver Fern Farms forecasts positive result for the year

Will the better results improve the likelihood the two big meat co-ops can finally find a way to merge, asks Allan Barber

24th Jul 15, 11:00am

by Allan Barber

Will the better results improve the likelihood the two big meat co-ops can finally find a way to merge, asks Allan Barber

Getting to the bottom of the NAIT puzzle

Allan Barber explores the reasons the NAIT system was adopted and whether it will deliver when its data is really needed

16th Jul 15, 10:11am

by Allan Barber

Allan Barber explores the reasons the NAIT system was adopted and whether it will deliver when its data is really needed

NAIT still apparently riddled with errors

Allan Barber questions the reliability of the compulsory tagging of cattle and deer with officially approved RFID tags

5th Jul 15, 1:03pm

by Allan Barber

Allan Barber questions the reliability of the compulsory tagging of cattle and deer with officially approved RFID tags

Why joint red meat marketing agreement failed

Allan Barber reviews the high hopes, the reasons for failure, and wonders where to now

4th Jul 15, 10:08am

by Allan Barber

Allan Barber reviews the high hopes, the reasons for failure, and wonders where to now

Longer season and drought affect Silver Ferns’ banking headroom

Allan Barber reviews the capacity and financial situation at Silver Fern Farms, concluding 'there is no alternative' to outside capital

3rd Jul 15, 6:54am

by Allan Barber

Allan Barber reviews the capacity and financial situation at Silver Fern Farms, concluding 'there is no alternative' to outside capital

Trade agreements are tricky animals

Allan Barber compares the prospects of two trade agreements currently being negotiated - the TPPA and the Gulf States FTA - and finds murky waters

28th Jun 15, 3:46pm

by Allan Barber

Allan Barber compares the prospects of two trade agreements currently being negotiated - the TPPA and the Gulf States FTA - and finds murky waters

Saudi sheep farming venture a dog’s breakfast

Allan Barber wonders if the Government has learned its lesson over the 'farcical' Gulf States Agrihub venture

19th Jun 15, 5:18pm

by Allan Barber

Allan Barber wonders if the Government has learned its lesson over the 'farcical' Gulf States Agrihub venture

Agribusiness Agenda poses challenges

Easy to say, hard to do: add value to our agricultural output. How do we build our 'powerhouses' with the 7 key attributes in their DNA

13th Jun 15, 10:37am

by Allan Barber

Easy to say, hard to do: add value to our agricultural output. How do we build our 'powerhouses' with the 7 key attributes in their DNA

Red meat prices in the dark ages

Allan Barber takes a brief look back at how meat schedules were set in the time taxpayers underpinned farmer incomes

30th May 15, 9:38am

by Allan Barber

Allan Barber takes a brief look back at how meat schedules were set in the time taxpayers underpinned farmer incomes

"It’s up to farmers"

Allan Barber reviews the strategic and operational choices facing the Alliance Group, with its new industry-outsider CEO, David Surveyor

27th May 15, 10:42am

by Allan Barber

Allan Barber reviews the strategic and operational choices facing the Alliance Group, with its new industry-outsider CEO, David Surveyor

The real priority

Allan Barber warns of the risks in the way MPI is setting its priorities and says it risks loss of focus on food safety and biosecurity

15th May 15, 1:50pm

by Allan Barber

Allan Barber warns of the risks in the way MPI is setting its priorities and says it risks loss of focus on food safety and biosecurity

Unlikely lower dairy payout will lead to immediate land use change

Allan Barber says alternate land use options are limited when all have restrained profitability at the same time. He reviews the outlook

3rd May 15, 5:50pm

by Allan Barber

Allan Barber says alternate land use options are limited when all have restrained profitability at the same time. He reviews the outlook

Just talk?

Allan Barber sees little sign of enthusiasm among the meat processors for taking up MIE report recommendations

15th Apr 15, 12:01pm

by Allan Barber

Allan Barber sees little sign of enthusiasm among the meat processors for taking up MIE report recommendations

NZ farmers a lot better off than British counterparts

British farmers in trouble, reports Allan Barber. Financial sustainability undermined by being forced to face global forces, threatening local 'food security'

10th Apr 15, 11:34am

by Allan Barber

British farmers in trouble, reports Allan Barber. Financial sustainability undermined by being forced to face global forces, threatening local 'food security'

MIE plan stimulates debate but won’t fix the problem

MIE’s plan is heavy on production cost and efficiency analysis with a wish-list of what is desirable, but light on strategy for achieving it, says Allan Barber

1st Apr 15, 1:00pm

by Allan Barber

MIE’s plan is heavy on production cost and efficiency analysis with a wish-list of what is desirable, but light on strategy for achieving it, says Allan Barber

Fonterra’s disappointing performance

Allan Barber explores the inherent conflict between cooperative members’ expectations and external investors’ desire for returns on their investment

1st Apr 15, 9:24am

by Allan Barber

Allan Barber explores the inherent conflict between cooperative members’ expectations and external investors’ desire for returns on their investment

Landcorp optimistic despite low half year profit

SOE's CEO focusing on key initiatives to drive improvements and beat the commodity cycles

28th Mar 15, 12:08pm

by Allan Barber

SOE's CEO focusing on key initiatives to drive improvements and beat the commodity cycles

Good red meat report offers challenging solutions

Allan Barber reviews the major MIE report which contains some serious options for revitalising the red meat sector, but wonders whether it will lead to change

18th Mar 15, 12:02pm

by Allan Barber

Allan Barber reviews the major MIE report which contains some serious options for revitalising the red meat sector, but wonders whether it will lead to change

ANZCO's ownership and management evolving, concentrating

Allan Barber looks at the recent changes at ANZCO Foods and the new path Itoham Foods is taking them

28th Feb 15, 11:10am

by Allan Barber

Allan Barber looks at the recent changes at ANZCO Foods and the new path Itoham Foods is taking them

Come on John, give them a break!

Allan Barber takes on John McCarthy again ... arguing that seasons and market conditions make a much bigger contribution to price variability than ownership structures

20th Feb 15, 1:47pm

by Allan Barber

Allan Barber takes on John McCarthy again ... arguing that seasons and market conditions make a much bigger contribution to price variability than ownership structures

Conditions not structures cause of red meat price drop

Allan Barber says that fast changing market conditions are behind the fall in all red meat prices and they would be faced by any industry structure

12th Feb 15, 4:10pm

by Allan Barber

Allan Barber says that fast changing market conditions are behind the fall in all red meat prices and they would be faced by any industry structure

Who will run A&P Shows of the future?

Allan Barber assesses the changes confronting A&P Shows and shows how one is adapting to the erosion of its traditional constituency

7th Feb 15, 9:40am

by Allan Barber

Allan Barber assesses the changes confronting A&P Shows and shows how one is adapting to the erosion of its traditional constituency