All eyes on NZ milk supply
All eyes are on milk production in New Zealand and its impact on global dairy prices in the coming months.
A preview last week of Fonterra’s new strategy showed how the co-op intends to focus on sustainability on all levels and prioritise the value of milk, rather than the volume, into the future.
The co-op last week launched a programme entitled The Cooperative Difference, focussed on five key areas: environment, animals, milk, people and communities, and co-operative and prosperity.
The firm intention is to make clearer to farmers what their co-op expects of them today and in the future, and to duly recognise the many farmers who conscientiously produce high quality milk in a more sustainable way. Those who produce will be rewarded, but those who persist with continuously poor milk grades will face the consequences.
The co-op is also assuring farmers there will be no nasty surprises. The Cooperative Difference will enable farmers to better understand the changing expectations of global markets, customers, consumers, communities and regulators so they can plan and prepare for what they must do.
New sustainability regulations won’t be dumped on farmers overnight, and the co-op acknowledges that change cannot happen overnight; it is committed to providing farmers with more advance notice of new requirements and changing expectations.
Fonterra will next month release more details on The Cooperative Difference, and in the coming season it will outline the immediate steps a farmer can take to improve sustainability onfarm and within the co-op.
The co-op says it will recognise farmers who go beyond the minimum requirements to produce high quality, safe, sustainable dairy, according to key needs outlined in The Cooperative Difference for delivering top-shelf milk.
Top farmers will get grade free certificates, plaques and awards, and they could get a digital dashboard and annual scorecard and be recognised at local events. Their stories will be told in Fonterra publications and Farm Source reward dollars may come their way.
With farmers facing more compliance costs and pressures in their quest to farm sustainably farming, The Cooperative Difference is a huge step in the right direction.
Fonterra and its 10,000 farmers shareholders are already doing a great deal of work on sustainability. They are confident The Cooperative Difference will help take that good work to the next level.
'Common sense' cuts to government red tape will make it easier for New Zealand to deliver safe food to more markets.
Balclutha farmer Renae Martin remembers the moment she fell in love with cows.
Academic freedom is a privilege and it's put at risk when people abuse it.
All eyes are on milk production in New Zealand and its impact on global dairy prices in the coming months.
Claims that some Southland farmers were invoiced up to $4000 for winter grazing compliance checks despite not breaching rules are being rejected by Environment Southland.
According to the most recent Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey, farmer confidence has inched higher, reaching its second highest reading in the last decade.
OPINION: The war of words between Southland farmers and Environment Southland over winter grazing inspections reflects a deep lack of trust…
OPINION: Milking It understands a formal disciplinary process is being conducted by Victoria University of Wellington on what one of…