Yili opens 'Dairy Silicon Valley'
Chinese dairy giant Yili has launched a multi-billion dollar industrial park in Hohhot, China.
It was 25 years ago that Milfos International was formed and this week the company will celebrate the milestone with an Australasian dealer conference followed by an evening celebration with service partners, suppliers and business people from around New Zealand.
Philip and Nicola Locke started the business in 1987 and today it is jointly owned with Jamie Mikkelson and Rick Staheli. The business started out manufacturing parts for milking systems and now exports to more than 20 countries around the globe. Today the business offers a wide range of high tech milking solutions for farmers milking cows, sheep and goats. The business has company owned entities in Australia, the UK and Ireland.
The business, located in Hamilton and employing over 120 staff, continues to experience significant growth. In 2011 the company won the Gallagher Waikato Business of the Year award for large enterprises employing over 50 staff.
Milfos Managing Director Jamie Mikkelson says, "We are very excited about reaching this milestone and celebrating it with our partners. It is a time to reflect on our short history, celebrate our successes and plot the way forward as a group. We are incredibly proud of our achievements and the hard work that our team puts in every day serving our customers".
Following recent storms in the region, the 69th edition of the Tour of Southland cycling event has been postponed.
A function at Parliament on 7th October brought together central government decision-makers, MPs, industry stakeholders and commercial partners to highlight the need for strategic investment in the future of Fieldays and its home, the Mystery Creek Events Centre campus.
The Government's revised 2050 biogenic methane target range of 14-24% by 2050 is being welcomed by dairy farmers.
An increasing number of students are doing agricultural and horticultural degrees at Massey University by distance learning.
ANZ New Zealand is encouraging farmers and businesses impacted by the recent extreme weather that hit Southland and South Otago last week to seek support if they need it.
When Professor Pierre Venter takes up his new role as vice chancellor at Massey University next February it will just be a matter of taking a few steps across the road to get to his new office at the Palmerston North Campus.

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