Agribusiness expert says dairy farmers need to change intensive dairying ... or face pain in future

Environment Minister David Parker is one of many who say the number of cows per hectare is higher than the environment can sustain.

In Canterbury, the number of cows has increased by three per cent year on year.

Lincoln University Senior Lecturer Nic Lees says it's clear the government is moving away from a model based on increasing output and lowering costs.

He says the future of the industry won't be in commodity products, but in things like high value cuts of meat.

Nic Lees says dairy farmers only need to look at the model adopted by sheep farmers to see the benefits of reducing numbers.