Revamped Fonterra to be ‘more capital-efficient’
Fonterra chair Peter McBride says the divestment of Mainland Group is their last significant asset sale and signals the end of structural changes.
Fonterra is launching a new quality assurance and recognition scheme for its farmers.
The scheme, to be launched in the 2019-20 season starting June next year, will be branded; global customers and the New Zealand public will see the branding on Fonterra products.
Fonterra chairman John Monaghan told the co-op annual general meeting in Lichfield yesterday that the scheme will bring together existing milk quality, animal welfare and environmental requirements under a single programme.
While farmers with good management practices will be rewarded, those not meeting the minimum standard will incur demerit points.
From next week Farm Source team will be asking farmers about the types of recognition and rewards they would prefer under the proposed scheme.
The programme may include financial incentives for farmers, says Monaghan.
“Once that commercial value is better understood, we will decide whether to expand the programme to include financial incentives,” Monaghan says.
“Either way, there will still be demerits for the small minority of our farmers who do not meet our minimum standards from time to time.”
Effective from 1 January 2026, there will be three new grower directors on the board of the Foundation for Arable Research (FAR).
The National Wild Goat Hunting Competition has removed 33,418 wild goats over the past three years.
New Zealand needs a new healthcare model to address rising rates of obesity in rural communities, with the current system leaving many patients unable to access effective treatment or long-term support, warn GPs.
Southland farmers are being urged to put safety first, following a spike in tip offs about risky handling of wind-damaged trees
Third-generation Ashburton dairy farmers TJ and Mark Stewart are no strangers to adapting and evolving.
When American retail giant Cosco came to audit Open Country Dairy’s new butter plant at the Waharoa site and give the green light to supply their American stores, they allowed themselves a week for the exercise.