'A complete dog
OPINION: It's not just a rural banking inquiry that farmers want. Freshwater farm plans are another major headache for farmers.
OPINION: Fonterra has quietly offloaded its 50% stake in Agrifeeds, a major importer of palm kernel expeller into New Zealand.
In an email to farmers, the co-operative revealed that it pocketed $27 million from the deal with JV partner Wilmar International.
Fonterra’s involvement in PKE importation has been on the receiving end of protests by environment lobbyists like Greenpeace, who claim PKE is a by-product of the palm oil industry, which is the leading cause of rainforest destruction in Indonesia.
Fonterra’s PR machine has been quiet on the sale and so has Greenpeace, who would be hoping that this could be the start of the end of PKE trading in NZ.
Fonterra hasn’t completely folded though and will still sell PKE through its Farm Source stores.
The Climate Change Commission wants the new Government to reduce NZ Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction volumes as son as possible.
Southland-based Mataura Valley Milk can now lay claim to be the first all-electric dairy factory in New Zealand.
Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.
Meat co-operative Alliance Group has bagged four gold medals at the Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards, achieving top honours for every cut entered.
There is increasing evidence that dairy demand is on the upswing, according to Rabobank senior agricultural analyst Emma Higgins.
Fertiliser use in New Zealand over the 18 months is about 25% down from what it consistently was for the previous decade or more, says Ravensdown chief operating officer Mike Whitty.
OPINION: It's not just a rural banking inquiry that farmers want. Freshwater farm plans are another major headache for farmers.
OPINION: The new Government may be farmer friendly, but it's not love, rather action that farmers want.