Fonterra Suppliers Confident in Mainland Dairy Future
Fonterra's 460 milk suppliers in Australia, who will switch to Lactalis end of this month, are unfazed with the impending change.
Fonterra provided nearly 20 million packs of milk free to 145,000 primary school students last year as part of its Milk for Schools scheme, now in its fifth year.
At the 2012 launch, 119 schools joined and last year 1431 schools took part.
To mark the fifth year, former All Black captain Richie McCaw will fly special helicopter milk runs to schools.
He will visit four schools selected from online entries saying why he should visit. Where possible, he will fly in to deliver milk. Local farmers will also be part of the visit.
Primary schools can be nominated until March 19 on Fonterra.com. Updates can be followed on Fonterra’s Facebook page.
Fonterra general manager, community programmes, Chris Ward says Milk for Schools is still growing.
“Two things stand out about it for us: ensuring Kiwi kids get a daily dose of quality nutrition and the generosity of Fonterra and its farmers to make it happen.”
The programme is also said to help with a sustainability initiative in which the Tetrapak milk packs are recycled in Thailand into school books, roof tiles, etc. There is no such recycling machine in NZ.
Milk for Schools has been underlined by two university health studies showing health benefits to children, particularly improved bone and dental health.
Matt McRae, a farmer from Mokoreta in Southland who runs a sheep, beef and dairy support business alongside a sheep stud, has been elected to the Beef +Lamb NZ Board as a farmer director.
Ravensdown's next evolution in smart farming technology, HawkEye Pro, was awarded the Technology Section Award at the Southern Field Days Farm Innovation Awards in February 2026.
While mariners may recognise a “dog watch” as a two-hour shift on a ship, the Good Dog Work Watch is quite a different concept and the clever creation of Southland siblings Grace (9) and Archer Brown (7), both pupils at Riverton Primary School.
Philip and Lyneyre Hooper of the Hoopman Family Trust have tonight been named the Taranaki Regional Supreme Winners at the Ballance Farm Environment Awards.
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New Zealand's dairy and beef industries say they welcome the announcement that the Government will invest $10.49 million in the Dairy Beef Opportunities (DBO) programme.