Well-placed to weather conflicts
Shipping disruption caused by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea has so far not impacted fertiliser prices or supply on farm.
Ravensdown has launched a new commercialisation entity named Agnition to try and drive innovations needed by farmers and growers.
It aims to build, grow and invest in Ag-IP and innovations, such as EcoPond and ClearTech, turning them into valued products and solutions that can be used on-farm to combat climate change, and create enhanced productivity.
Ravensdown chief executive Garry Diack says Agnition is a response to the co-operative’s strategy ‘Smarter farming for a better New Zealand’.
“Ravensdown has an impressive track record of recognising, researching, and bringing to fruition technologies and services that enhance our shareholders’ abilities to interconnect precision-based performance with long-term sustainability,” he says.
“The focus is now on taking innovations to market faster, getting them on-farm and providing a return on investment for our shareholders.”
Diack says that supplying nutrients to New Zealand farmers is still core to the Ravensdown business.
“While Agnition will have the agility and expertise of a venture capital type company, it will have an important advantage of farmer insight when it comes to developing and launching on-farm innovation.”
Jasper van Halder, previously a strategy consultant for McKinsey & Company, has been appointed as Agnition’s chief executive.
He will have responsibility for a portfolio of existing Ravensdown investments, including C-Dax Agricultural Solutions, Cropmark Seeds, Southstar Technologies and Analytical Research Laboratory (ARL).
Fonterra has cemented its position as the country’s number one cheesemaker by picking up nine NZ Champion of Cheese trophies this year.
New Zealand dairy processors are welcoming the Government’s commitment to continuing to push for Canada to honour its trade commitments.
An educational programme, set up by Beef + Land New Zealand, to connect farmers virtually with primary and intermediate school students has reported the successful completion of its second year.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has welcomed a resolution adopted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly to declare 2026 International Year of the Woman Farmer.
Waikato herd health veterinarian Katrina Roberts is the 2024 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year.
Horticulture NZ chief executive Nadine Tunley will step down in August.
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