Open Country finalises acquisition of Miraka Limited
Open Country Dairy has finalised a deal to acquire 100% of Miraka.
Foodbanks around the country could soon be handing out two-litre packs of milk with each food parcel.
Farmer-founded charity Feed Out general manager and Golden Bay farmer, Wayne Langford, says the charity is in talks with milk processors.
Last month, Maori-owned milk processor Miraka processed over 20,000 litres of farmer-donated milk for distribution across Central Plateau and Wairarapa.
Langford told Dairy News that Miraka is the first milk processor to donate to the charity.
"This was our first processing run with Miraka, so up until now we haven't handed out any milk products," he says.
Feed Out is part of the Meat the Need Charity, founded by farmers Langford and Siobhan O'Malley.
The Meat the Need scheme's goal is to put a minced meat pack in each of the 500,000 food parcels given out in New Zealand.
Langford says Feed Out's plan is to include milk in every food parcel.
"We would like to eventually do this with milk, with at least two litres, so we will be looking for at least 1 million litres when we go national. We are in discussions with other processors and these discussions take time.
"We hope to have the option of donating to 'Feed Out' open to all dairy farmers, no matter which processor they supply. It's very cool that farmers are now donating valuable protein meals for both breakfast and dinners."
Grant Jackson, Miraka's general manager of milk supply, says Feed Out is an opportunity for the Miraka farm and factory whānau to make a direct impact on their local community.
"When Wayne contacted us about getting involved, we jumped at the chance.
"Our farmers are a pretty caring bunch and were quick to come on board with the programme, as were Tetrapak and Visy Board, who have donated the packaging. For us it's a way for us to show manaakitanga and to give something back."
Langford says reaching production with Miraka was a significant milestone.
"We export over 95% of our milk, and yet there are still families going hungry right here in New Zealand.
"That seems crazy. Feed Out provides a way for farmers to help meet this need. We've been blown away by the support of Miraka and their supply farmers. This donation has far exceeded our expectations, and will be a huge help to those who need it most," says Langford.
According to the most recent Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey, farmer confidence has inched higher, reaching its second highest reading in the last decade.
From 1 October, new livestock movement restrictions will be introduced in parts of Central Otago dealing with infected possums spreading bovine TB to livestock.
Phoebe Scherer, a technical manager from the Bay of Plenty, has won the 2025 Young Grower of the Year national title.
The Fencing Contractors Association of New Zealand (FCANZ) celebrated the best of the best at the 2025 Fencing Industry Awards, providing the opportunity to honour both rising talent and industry stalwarts.
Award-winning boutique cheese company, Cranky Goat Ltd has gone into voluntary liquidation.
As an independent review of the National Pest Management Plan for TB finds the goal of complete eradication by 2055 is still valide, feedback is being sought on how to finish the job.
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