M.I.A.
OPINION: The previous government spent too much during the Covid-19 pandemic, despite warnings from officials, according to a briefing released by the Treasury.
Independent milk processor Synlait says Covid-19 has so far had no impact on its financial performance, however the processor remains greatly concerned.
The nation’s third-largest dairy company wrote to its shareholders this week that it has adopted the Government’s strategy to ‘flatten the curve’.
Synlait says it has taken steps to restrict all people movements wherever possible, reviewing all roles for their suitability to work from home and keeping their China office closed.
“While we can confirm there has been no material short-term impact on our financial performance in connection with Covid-19, it represents some downside risk going forward.
“This was a factor in Synlait’s decision to issue a wider guidance range back in February.
“Demand indications from The a2 Milk Company suggest Covid-19 had a positive impact on consumer-packaged infant formula sales in the first two months of the 2020 calendar year, however the company was unable to quantify the FY20 impact,” Synlait wrote to its Shareholders.
Synlait says it has experienced no significant operational impact, but the company is seeing pressure on its broader supply chain, particularly in relation to space availability and shipping schedules.
Synlait says its team is “working closely” with logistic partners to assist in understanding capacity and scheduling.
“As New Zealand’s largest infant nutrition manufacturer, Covid-19 concerns us greatly and our incident assessment team is reviewing the situation and updating our response daily.
“We are deeply committed and connected to China, the customer partnerships we have there, and the role that we play in providing infant nutrition to many families across China.”
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.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand has launched an AI-powered digital assistant to help farmers using the B+LNZ Knowledge Hub to create tailored answers and resources for their farming businesses.
A tiny organism from the arid mountains of mainland Greece is facilitating a new way of growing healthier animals on farms across New Zealand.