Keeping cyber attacks at bay
Fonterra says it takes the ongoing threat of 'adverse cyber action' extremely seriously.
Fonterra says it has a clear plan to return its Australian business to strong and sustainable profitability.
As part of the revamp, last week it announced a five year, multi-million dollar strategic agreement with Australian infant formula player Bellamy's to manufacture a range of new baby nutritional powders.
Fonterra managing director Oceania Judith Swales describes this as part of Fonterra's transformation of its Australian business.
"This is our strategy in action for Australia where we focus on the areas we can win in a highly competitive market to deliver the best returns," says Swales.
"We are actively growing our nutritionals business through strategic partnerships and agreements which will see the Darnum nutritionals plant move towards full capacity.
"Our Australian business has particular ingredients strengths in cheese, whey and nutritionals, complemented by our strong consumer and foodservice businesses; and today's announcement with Bellamy's Australia – one of the fastest growing infant formula companies – reaffirms our strength in nutritionals.
"The Darnum plant is a leading nutritionals plant in Fonterra's global network.
"Leveraging our Fonterra Research and Development Centre in Palmerston North – the largest dairy innovation centre in the southern hemisphere – we will bring innovation to the Darnum plant and the nutritionals market to capture growing demand."
Bellamy's is one of the fastest growing infant formula companies with strong brand recognition and expertise in the organic ingredient supply chain, the co-op says.
"Bellamy's has grown for many years and financial year 2014-15 has been exceptional, achieving revenue growth of 156% from the year prior; infant formula comprises 88% of Bellamy's sales."
The proposed move will help support the growth of Bellamy's Organic in Australia and abroad, says Swales.
Among the regular exhibitors at last month’s South Island Agricultural Field Days, the one that arguably takes the most intensive preparation every time is the PGG Wrightson Seeds site.
Two high producing Canterbury dairy farmers are moving to blended stockfeed supplements fed in-shed for a number of reasons, not the least of which is to boost protein levels, which they can’t achieve through pasture under the region’s nitrogen limit of 190kg/ha.
Buoyed by strong forecasts for milk prices and a renewed demand for dairy assets, the South Island rural real estate market has begun the year with positive momentum, according to Colliers.
The six young cattle breeders participating in the inaugural Holstein Friesian NZ young breeder development programme have completed their first event of the year.
New Zealand feed producers are being encouraged to boost staff training to maintain efficiency and product quality.
OPINION: The world is bracing for a trade war between the two biggest economies.
OPINION: Should Greenpeace be stripped of their charitable status? Farmers say yes.
OPINION: After years of financial turmoil, Canterbury milk processor Synlait is now back in business.