Ah Tatua, You've Done It Again!
Waikato milk processor Tatua has again declared a record milk payout to farmer shareholders, leaving other processors in the dust.
Fonterra introduced ‘Naked Mozz’— a move that will spare a staggering 330 tonnes of cardboard each year, translating to annual savings of more than $825,000.
Each year, over 12,000 tonnes of Perfect Italiano Mozzarella embark on a journey from Fonterra Australia's Stanhope manufacturing site in northern Victoria to be expertly shredded at its secondary processing site in Tullamarine in Melbourne.
From there, it tops millions of pizzas across Australia and travels to countries including Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong.
Traditionally, transporting this massive amount of cheese in hefty 10kg blocks for processing meant considerable packaging - including 600,000 cardboard cartons - so Fonterra set itself a challenge to cut out the cardboard on the route to Tullamarine.
In November, Fonterra introduced 'Naked Mozz' - a move that will spare a staggering 330 tonnes of cardboard each year, translating to annual savings of more than $825,000.
Jenny Phillips, Fonterra Australia's sustainable packaging manager, says that this innovative initiative is just one of 26 sustainable packaging projects in progress.
"Our aim is to ensure that by 2025, 100% of Fonterra Australia's dairy product packaging will be reusable, recyclable, or compostable. Additionally, we're targeting zero waste to landfill by the same year, and reducing waste in our supply chain is pivotal to achieving this goal.
"While the mozzarella is still securely wrapped in plastic which is crucial for food safety and waste reduction, eliminating cardboard will significantly bolster our sustainability efforts.
"The benefits extend beyond reduced cardboard use. This initiative eliminates the need for frequent cardboard waste collections from the Tullamarine site and minimises manual handling to enhance the health and safety of our on-site team.
"This latest packaging project underscores that our much-loved dairy products can be delivered sustainably without compromising on the quality our customers expect," says Phillips.
Farmer-owned fertiliser company, Ballance Agri Nutrients is welcoming National’s plan to negotiate security agreements with key supplier countries to protect New Zealand-bound products from export restrictions and greater supply chain certainty.
Carrfields has announced the appointment of Stu Hall to the newly created role of chief operating officer, Carrfields Ltd, reflecting the continued growth of their agribusinesses and the need to ensure the company has the leadership capacity and support in place as it pursues the emerging opportunities ahead.
New Zealand's role is not to compete with Indian growers, according to NZ Apples and Pears.
The potato industry is celebrating the success of two rising stars - James Blair, the 2026 Young Grower of the Year and runner-up and innovation award winner, Amber Davy.
Twenty-eight emerging leaders from across the horticulture sector spent two days last month learning valuable skills and connecting with industry experts.
There are five entrants in this year’s Young Horticulturist of the Year, competing in a series of technical, practical, business and leadership challenges.
OPINION: It seems Canterbury processor Synlait is still in the doldrums.
OPINION: Get offside with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters at your own peril.