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OPINION: Remember when the once-crumbling Westland Milk Products company was bought out by Chinese company Yili in 2019 and the howls of outrage and derision from current Minister of Agriculture and West Coast MP Damien O'Connor describing it as a 'sad day' for the West Coast?
However, some four years down the track, Westland Milk - under Yili's ownership - has gone from strength to strength.
Not only is the company paying its farmers a 10c premium above Fonterra's payout, but last year it also surpassed $1 billion in annual revenue for the first time - making a profit of $39 million, with West Coast farmers receiving a record $9.40/kgMS for their milk in 2022.
Now the company is going to invest $70 million to expand its manufacturing of dairy protein lactoferrin.
The Hound reckons it looks like O'Connor has added to his long list of wrong calls when it comes to the NZ ag sector!
OPINION: This old mutt well remembers the wailing, whining and gnashing of teeth by former West Coast MP and Labour Agriculture Minister Damian O’Connor when Chineseowned Yili took over the troubled dairy company Westland Milk a few years back.
OPINION: Your canine crusader gets a little fed up with the some in media, union hacks, opposition politicians and hard-core lefty whiners who claim the answer to all the country’s current financial woes is to tax the rich even more.
OPINION: Readers of this column will know that your old mate has been a long-time critic of $55 million of taxpayers’ money handed out to ‘favoured’ media outlets via the Public Interest Journalism Fund (PIJF) through NZ on Air by the previous government.
OPINION: The Hound reckons school teachers like nothing better than to complain constantly about how tough things are for them and that their generous holidays are all spent ‘marking school work and preparing for next term ahead’.
OPINION: The new government has clearly signalled big cuts across the public service.
Humbling, overwhelming, and an absolute honour. That’s how 2024 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year Katrina Roberts describes her win at the Dairy Women’s Network conference earlier this month.
Hamilton-based Dairy Goat Co-operative (DGC) is revamping its leadership in the hope of recovering from its financial doldrums.
With just over two weeks left in the 2023-24 season, all eyes will be on Fonterra's opening milk price for the new season.
Fonterra Brands' Cathy Lang has been crowned the country's best cheesemaker for the second time in three years.
James and Debbie Stewart of Dairylands in the Manawatū are no strangers to taking home the silverware.
Troubled milk processor Synlait's share price is taking a hammering as nervous investors offload their stakes.
