Fonterra Whareroa sets cheese record, wins top award
Fonterra Whareroa wrapped up a successful season with a record-breaking cheese production volume and several gongs at the co-op's annual Best Site Cup awards.
Fonterra's plan to use probiotics to reduce cow methane emissions is moving to on-farm trials.
The Kobucha project is shifting from the Fonterra Research & Development Centre (FDRC) to the farm.
Kowbucha are potential methane-busting probiotics from the co-op's dairy culture collection stored at FDRC.
Fonterra head of strategy and innovation, Mark Piper, says the project is about making the most of the co-op's people skills and dairy expertise to unlock the potential of these cultures to help ensure New Zealand stays as a leader in sustainable food production.
"The cultures have been selected over decades for their properties in producing different varieties of cheese, yoghurts, sour creams, and for use as health promoting probiotics," Piper exclaims.
"Following analysis of thousands of strains from the collection, specific strains have been identified as those that could potentially reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) production naturally from inside the cow."
Six industry organisations, including DairyNZ and the Dairy Companies Association (DCANZ) have signed an agreement with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to prepare the country for a potential foot and mouth outbreak.
The 2026 Red Dairy Cow conference will be hosted by New Zealand in March.
While global dairy commodity prices continue to climb in most key exporting countries, the second half of the year is expected to bring increased downside risks.
In a surprise move, Federated Farmers meat and wool group has dumped its chair Toby Williams.
Former MP and Southland farmer Eric Roy has received the Outstanding Contribution to New Zealand’s Primary Industries Award.
OPINION: Good times are coming back for the primary industries. From sentiment expressed at Fieldays to the latest rural confidence survey results, all indicate farmer confidence at a near-record high.