Fonterra FY26 Results: $9.69 Milk Price, $3.4bn Profit
Fonterra has unveiled its annual results for the 2026 financial year, posting $27 billion in revenue and close to $20 billion returned to New Zealand farmer owners and unit holders.
Doing nothing to arrest the slide in milk supply is not an option, says Fonterra chairman Peter McBride.
He told farmer shareholders that the total New Zealand milk supply is likely to decline or be flat at best.
McBride says Fonterra's supply depends on the actions it takes with the capital structure, performance, productivity and sustainability.
"If we do nothing, we are likely to see around a 12-20% decline by 2030 based on the milk supply scenarios we have modelled.
"Protecting a strong New Zealand farmer-owned co-operative of scale is in all our interests."
He notes that being a strong co-op ensures it pays the highest sustainable milk price. Fonterra's milk price sets the benchmark for prices Kiwi dairy farmers are paid for their milk.
"Based on our current operations, our farmgate milk price could be 6-13 cents lower by 2030 if we make no changes to our capital structure."
Pāmu has released its FY26 Integrated Annual Report, reporting a Net Operating Profit of $113 million, more than double the $49 million recorded in FY25.
Meat Industry Association data, released alongside the Red Meat Sector conference in Wellington, shows export value climbing across the US, China, UK and Canada.
Applications are set to open for the 2027 Zanda McDonald Award, a trans-Tasman award recognised for identifying and fast-tracking talented young leaders in agriculture and agribusiness.
The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (the College) and Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network are calling for investment in a proposed new training pathway for rural GPs, warning that many rural practices are struggling to recruit while a large share of the existing workforce nears retirement.
Federated Farmers has called on Central Otago District Council (CODC) to drop or vote down a plan to truck sludge from Alexandra and Cromwell to farmland near Lauder, warning it would compound an "outrageous" situation created by a separate council's decision weeks earlier.
Synlait has swung to second-half profit as operations stabilise, but the dairy processor still posted a $75.4m annual loss.
OPINION: It seems Canterbury processor Synlait is still in the doldrums.
OPINION: Get offside with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters at your own peril.