Fonterra Lifts Farmgate Milk Price
Good news for Fonterra farmers. The co-op has raised this season’s farmgate milk price mid-point by 25c to $9.75/kgMS.
Trade Minister Tim Groser has confirmed New Zealand is working closely with our trading partners to keep them informed of the potential contamination of some products.
These include follow-on infant formula, made from whey protein concentrate contaminated with the bacteria that causes botulism.
"As soon as New Zealand authorities were notified of this risk, we immediately acted to inform relevant authorities around the world," says Groser.
"This has included formally notifying Infosan, the World Health Organisation's international food safety regulators network. As more information on this issue is confirmed we will provide our trading partners with further updates.
"We understand that the markets to which contaminated whey protein concentrate, or products using this ingredient, has been exported are Australia, China, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Thailand and Vietnam.
"New Zealand authorities are working with Fonterra to identify and trace all potentially affected products and then inform regulators around the world," says Groser.
With New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions in the spotlight, Auckland scientist Nathan Balasingham says there’s a better way to tackle the problem than shrinking cow numbers or fertiliser usage.
Massey University vice chancellor Pierre Venter says his institute is moving from a period of austerity into a growth phase, based on their new strategy.
With the red meat sector going through a boom time with high prices, the time is right for the industry to step up its investment into developing new food products.
Meat Industry Association chief executive Nick Beeby says there’s now much closer cooperation between meat processing companies than there was many years ago.
A new fruit quality research laboratory has been opened in Auckland by agritech company Hectre to develop pioneering hyperspectral technology.
Farmer lobby Groundswell believes that farmers are worried about the implications of a potential centre-left government.

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