Synlait’s financial turnaround halts supplier exodus
A marked turnaround in the financial performance of Canterbury milk company Synlait has halted a threatening exodus of farmer suppliers.
One of the world’s largest dairy companies, Nestle is teaming up with Synlait and its 300 farmer suppliers to help fund innovative on-farm emissions reduction tools.
This investment is focused on pragmatic on-farm solutions that improve efficiency, such as effluent management systems, emissions-friendly feed options, advanced soil testing, alternative fertilisers and tree planting, splitting the costs three ways between Nestle, Synlait and its farmer suppliers across the next seven years.
Synlait chief executive Grant Watson says this new kind of customer partnership will help Synlait reach its greenhouse gas emission targets, as well as opening up potential new commercial opportunities to work together.
“This is a great example of proactive, industry-led solutions driving innovation across the supply chain, serving our customers’ demand for high quality, low-emissions products. Synlait’s industry-leading Lead With Pride programme has long financially incentivised Synlait farmers to produce some of the most sustainable dairy in the world, but this investment with Nestlé will help them go further, faster.”
“This partnership aims to reduce the cost of implementation and accelerate farmer adoption of emissions reduction tools. It’s leveraging technologies that are available in market right now, and will expand over time to include emerging technologies as they become available. This kind of agreement also opens up potential new opportunities to work together in other areas, and we look forward to a long and fruitful partnership with Nestlé.”
Nestle global chief procurement officer Patricia Stroup, speaking on a visit to New Zealand, says that partnerships of this kind which bring Nestlé together with farmers and processors, would be instrumental in all parties reaching their greenhouse gas emission targets.
“Dairy is both our single biggest ingredient by volume, and our largest source of Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for around 21% of our total emissions. None of us can do this alone. Knowing this drives us to find new ways of working together, and means we need to collaborate with our dairy suppliers to adopt new ways to reduce emissions, and with farmers to create plans for climate, methane and regenerative agriculture.
“While today’s announcement focuses on what can be delivered now, we are also continuing to develop new ways to reduce emissions through our own research, and external research partnerships. As our investigations continue, the most promising solutions are tested on research farms before being deployed more broadly. We are determined to draw on the best science worldwide, while ensuring that we deliver solutions that are locally relevant for farmers.”
Federated Farmers supports a review of the current genetic technology legislation but insists that a farmer’s right to either choose or reject it must be protected.
New Zealand’s top business leaders are urging the US Administration to review “unjustified and discriminatory tariffs” imposed on Kiwi exporters.
New tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump signal an uncertain future, but New Zealand farmers know how to adapt to changing conditions, says Auriga Martin, chief executive of Farm Focus.
A global trade war beckons, which is bad news for a small open economy like New Zealand, warns Mark Smith ASB senior economist.
Carterton's Awakare Farm has long stood as a place where family, tradition and innovation intersect.
Fonterra says the US continues to be an important market for New Zealand dairy and the co-op.
OPINION: At last, a serious effort to better connect farmers and scientists.
OPINION: If you believe Maori Party president John Tamihere’s claim that “nothing dodgy” occurred at Manurewa Marae during the last…