NZ to host the 2027 World Jersey Conference
The future of dairy farming will take centre stage when New Zealand hosts the World Jersey Conference 2027, bringing together Jersey breeders, farmers, scientists, industry leaders and the next generation of dairy farmers from around the world.
World Jersey Conference – February 2027 – The Next Generation
8–26 February 2027 | New Zealand
The future of dairy farming will take centre stage when New Zealand hosts the World Jersey Conference 2027, bringing together Jersey breeders, farmers, scientists, industry leaders and the next generation of dairy farmers from around the world.
New Zealand has previously hosted the World Jersey Conference only three times, in 1965, 1989 and 2011. Making the 2027 conference a rare opportunity to be part of this prestigious international event and one not to be missed.
Held under the theme ‘The Next Generation’, the conference will look beyond where the Jersey breed has been to where it is heading, exploring the role of genetics, technology, sustainability, efficiency and innovation in shaping the dairy farms of tomorrow.
JerseyNZ is proud to host the World Jersey Conference on New Zealand soil from 8 to 26 February 2027, with six days of conference activity centred in the Waikato, bookended by optional pre- and post-conference tours through Northland and the lower North and South Islands. More than 80 delegates from up to 39 World Jersey Bureau member countries are expected to take part.
The conference also marks a significant milestone for JerseyNZ, with 2027 being the organisation’s 125th anniversary – celebrating 125 years of breeding excellence, community and commitment to the future of the Jersey breed in New Zealand.
A breed with a role in the future of dairy
The timing of the conference comes as the dairy industry is increasingly focused on producing more from less. Improving farm efficiency while responding to environmental, economic and animal performance challenges.
Genetic progress is another key part of the conversation. DairyNZ’s latest national animal evaluation data shows Jersey cows continuing to sit strongly for Breeding Worth and Production Worth, while current Jersey genetics are being selected for a combination of production, fertility, functional survival, conformation and efficiency traits.
The central message of the World Jersey Conference 2027 is the Jersey of the future will need to be efficient, adaptable, fertile, productive and environmentally resilient and the decisions being made today will shape that future.
Bringing the global Jersey community onto New Zealand farms
The conference programme has been designed to put ideas into practice, with delegates spending significant time on New Zealand farms and in some of the country’s leading dairy industry businesses.
The conference week begins with a traditional pōwhiri and welcome at Zenith and Ebboni Jersey Farm in Taupiri, before moving into a programme featuring industry sessions, herd visits, genetics, research and opportunities to connect with businesses working across the dairy sector.
Delegates will spend a full day at LIC, including a bull farm visit, industry presentations and a methane research farm tour, before attending the Jersey Pride Sale and dinner. The programme also includes conference sessions at the Novotel Hamilton Tainui, the Jersey Classic Show at Kihikihi, a herd visit to Thornwood Jerseys, a morning hosted by CRV at McLands Farm and a visit to Kuku Jerseys.
The wider three-week programme provides an even broader showcase of New Zealand’s Jersey industry, with herd visits across Northland, Waikato, the lower North Island and Southland, including Kaycee Farms, D & F Lynch, Totara Dale Farm, Thornton Jerseys, Pirie Farms, Ferdon Genetics, Tahau Jerseys, Jerseyland Farms, Brooklands Jerseys and Maple Fern Jerseys. Alongside the technical programme, delegates will experience some of what makes New Zealand unique, including Waitangi, the Kauri Museum, Hobbiton, Parliament, Queenstown and Walter Peak High Country Station.
An opportunity for the wider dairy industry
While the Jersey breed is at the heart of the event, JerseyNZ sees the conference as an opportunity for the wider dairy industry to be part of an international conversation about the future of farming.
The event will bring together genetics and breeding companies, technology providers, researchers, financial and agricultural organisations, dairy industry businesses and farmers, providing a unique environment for businesses to demonstrate innovation, build relationships and engage directly with an international audience.
Trade stands, industry sessions, farm visits and hosted activities will provide opportunities for sponsors and exhibitors to connect with delegates in a setting that goes well beyond a traditional conference room. The conference website highlights the event’s focus on breeders, farmers and industry leaders from around the globe, with the programme deliberately built around the breed, its people and the land.
For existing Jersey breeders, the conference will provide an opportunity to showcase the depth and quality of New Zealand genetics. For farmers considering Jersey genetics, it will provide an opportunity to see high-performing herds in action and hear directly from the people using genetics and technology to build efficient businesses.
And for the next generation of farmers, it will provide a chance to connect with an international community and explore what the dairy industry could look like in the years ahead.
Looking to the next 125 years
As JerseyNZ celebrates 125 years, the World Jersey Conference is deliberately looking forward.
‘The Next Generation’ is not simply about young farmers. It is about the next generation of cows, genetics, technology, farming systems, industry leaders and ideas.
JerseyNZ President Julie Pirie says New Zealand’s Jersey breeders are ready to welcome the global Jersey community and help shape the next chapter of the breed’s story.
The World Jersey Conference 2027 will provide a platform for that conversation – connecting the experience of the past with the innovation needed for the future.
For more information about the World Jersey Conference, programme, registration, sponsorship and exhibition opportunities, visit the official Conference website HERE.
