Fonterra Suppliers Confident in Mainland Dairy Future
Fonterra's 460 milk suppliers in Australia, who will switch to Lactalis end of this month, are unfazed with the impending change.
Federated Farmers Dairy chairman Andrew Hoggard says this morning’s strong rise in global dairy prices is a morale booster for farmers.
Hoggard told Rural News online that things are looking more positive after the GDT price index rose 11.4% and the flagship whole milk powder prices rose a whopping 19.8% to US$3317/tonne.
WMP prices need to stay over US$3000/tonne for farmers to get a decent milk payout and make a profit, he says.
“Let’s hope the prices remain steady,” Hoggard says.
Hoggard also points out that money won’t start flowing to farmers straight away; it would take several months.
GDT key results
Price Index up 11.4%
AMF index up 2.6%, average price US$5,146/MT
Butter index up 4.0%, average price US$4,146/MT
BMP index down 5.4%, average price US$2,248/MT
Ched index up 0.9%, average price US$3,332/MT
LAC index down 4.0%, average price US$755/MT
RenCas index down 4.8%, average price US$6,025/MT
SMP index up 6.5%, average price US$2,329/MT
WMP index up 19.8%, average price US$3,317/MT
Matt McRae, a farmer from Mokoreta in Southland who runs a sheep, beef and dairy support business alongside a sheep stud, has been elected to the Beef +Lamb NZ Board as a farmer director.
Ravensdown's next evolution in smart farming technology, HawkEye Pro, was awarded the Technology Section Award at the Southern Field Days Farm Innovation Awards in February 2026.
While mariners may recognise a “dog watch” as a two-hour shift on a ship, the Good Dog Work Watch is quite a different concept and the clever creation of Southland siblings Grace (9) and Archer Brown (7), both pupils at Riverton Primary School.
Philip and Lyneyre Hooper of the Hoopman Family Trust have tonight been named the Taranaki Regional Supreme Winners at the Ballance Farm Environment Awards.
We are not a bunch of sky cowboys. That was one of the key messages from the chairperson of the NZ Agricultural Aviation Association (NZAAA) Kent Weir, speaking at an education day at Feilding aerodrome for 25 policymakers and regulators from central and local government and other rural professionals.
New Zealand's dairy and beef industries say they welcome the announcement that the Government will invest $10.49 million in the Dairy Beef Opportunities (DBO) programme.

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