Fonterra, Sharesies join to make share trading easier
Fonterra is teaming up with wealth app provider Sharesies to make it easier for its farmer shareholders to trade co-op shares among themselves.
An on-farm plastic recycling initiative, Plasback, seems to be gaining momentum as the agricultural industry moves to reduce its environmental impact.
Two New Zealand silage wrap importers, Nutritech and Tulloch Farm Machines, have joined the scheme. The Plasback scheme is a voluntary, user-pays system which collects silage wrap and some chemical drums direct from the farm gate.
"Last year, the Ministry for the Environment decided that all farm plastics sold in this country will have to be covered by an accredited product stewardship scheme," says Plasback manager Chris Hartshorne.
"This means everyone in the farm plastics supply chain - from manufacturers through to consumers - will be responsible for recycling leftover plastic products and packaging."
The company says that joining the Plasback scheme is a step dairy farmers can take to meet the criteria for production under Fonterra's new Co-operative Difference framework.
Under the scheme, from 1 June, up to 10 cents of a farm's milk payment will be determined by its sustainability measures and milk quality.
Fonterra Farm Source group director Richard Allen says Fonterra farmers are among the world's most responsible and that is something to be proud of.
"The Co-operative Difference payment is another way we can recognise farmers and grow the value of New Zealand milk by responding to the worldwide demand for sustainably-produced dairy," Allen says.
The 10 cent Co-operative Difference payment is made up of 7 cents/kg of milk solids for achievement in four sustainability focus areas. Once they have achieved this, farmers can gain another 3 cents/kgMS for milk that meets Fonterra's excellence standard.
The four sustainability criteria cover the environment, co-op and prosperity, animal wellbeing, and people and community.
In what appears to be a casualty of the downturn in the agricultural sector, a well-known machinery brand is now in the hands of liquidators and owing creditors $6.6 million.
One of New Zealand’s deepest breeder Jersey herds – known for its enduring connection through cattle with the UK’s longest reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II – will host its 75th anniversary celebration sale on-farm on April 22.
Rural trader PGG Wrightson has revised its operating earnings guidance, saying trading conditions have deteriorated since the last market update in February.
It's been a bumper season for maize and other supplements in the eastern Bay of Plenty.
Leading farmers from around New Zealand connected to share environmental stories and inspiration and build relationships at the Dairy Environment Leaders (DEL) national forum in Wellington last month.
AgriZeroNZ, a joint venture fast-tracking emissions reduction tools for farmers, is pouring $5 million in a biotech company to develop a low emissions farm pasture with increased productivity gains.