What Would Synlait Be Worth to Fonterra or a2 Milk?
Speculation of a possible joint move by Fonterra and a2 Milk to buy Synlait raises a much bigger strategic question, says agribusiness expert Dr Nic Lees.
Fonterra's Western Star butter has been judged Australia’s champion butter for the seventh time.
Western Star Original Salted Butter took the crown at the Dairy Australia Grand Dairy Awards 2019 in judging that includes a blind tasting to assess texture, smell and appearance.
Now Australia’s most awarded butter, it was described by judges as “fresh and sweet with just the right salt balance” and “perfect for cooking or simply spread on fresh bread”.
Western Star Butter is Australia’s no1 selling butter brand; nearly two packs are sold every second and it’s retail value is A$205 million a year.
Fonterra’s Cobden site in Victoria has made butter for 90 years and production manager Samir Suri says the team is thrilled at its seventh win.
“Our Western Star Original Salted Butter is testament to the consistency of the butter we produce, the expert craft of our team and, of course, the quality of our farmers’ milk. It helps explain why one pack of Western Star is sold every second.”
Andrew Sharp, a butter maker at Cobden for eight years, said how special it was to win a contest with 50 finalists.
“I’ve always believed the butter we make is the best, so it’s great to be recognised for it.”
The Australian
Grand Dairy Awards celebrated its 20th year this year, raising awareness of the quality and versatility of Australian dairy products.
To enter the national contest, a dairy producers must win a gold medal in a state-wide heat.
OPINION: David Seymour and James Meager's plan to make it easier for farmers and orchardists to operate drones can best be described a 'courageous' move.
New Zealand wool is reaching new heights as air filtration companies move away from synthetic products to biodegradable alternatives.
Opuha Dam's ability to protect South Canterbury communities from major flooding has taken a significant step forward, with Opuha Water Limited (OWL) successfully commissioning a new outlet valve capable of releasing record volumes of water from the dam ahead of a weather event.
There's been widespread support from the primary sector for the Government's announcement on changes to freshwater farm plans that come under the Natural Environment Bill, which is now set to replace the existing RMA.
A partnership between state-owned enterprise Pāmu (Landcorp Farming Limited) and charity Meet the Need is putting more than quality New Zealand beef into food bank parcels this year.
The Opportunity Party has faced criticism during the election campaign that its policies are too urban-focused and offer little for rural communities.
OPINION: After hogging the media limelight for telling a NZ Chinese MP to "go back home", Winston Peters has decided…
OPINION: With fuel prices soaring, one would have expected most farmers to be reclaiming excise duty on petrol.