Two Major NZ Dairy Deals Completed
Two major acquisitions in the New Zealand dairy sector were completed this week.
Fonterra executive René Dedoncker is leaving the co-operative later this year to lead Australian agribusiness Elders.
Dedoncker, managing director global markets consumer, joined Fonterra in 2005 and has held several global leadership positions during that time, including leading the Mainland Group business since March 2025.
The Mainland Group business has been sold to Lactalis.
Fonterra chief executive Miles Hurrell thanked Dedoncker for his significant contribution to Fonterra, particularly through the process to divest Mainland Group, where he has continued to provide strong leadership and drive performance as Fonterra prepared the business for sale.
While the District Field Days brought with it a welcome dose of sunshine, it also attracted a significant cohort of sitting members from the Beehive – as one might expect in an election year.
Irish Minister of State of Agriculture, Noel Grealish was in New Zealand recently for an official visit.
While not all sibling rivalries come to blows, one headline event at the recent New Zealand Rural Games held in Palmerston North certainly did, when reigning World Champion Jack Jordan was denied the opportunity of defending his world title in Europe later this year, after being beaten by his big brother’s superior axle blows, at the Stihl Timbersports Nationals.
AgriZeroNZ has invested $5.1 million in Australian company Rumin8 to accelerate development of its methane-reducing products for cattle and bring them to New Zealand.
Farmers want more direct, accurate information about both fuel and fertiliser supply.
A bull on a freight plane sounds like the start of a joke, but for Ian Bryant, it is a fond memory of days gone by.