increase font size
Four focus areas unlock the initial 7c/kgMS payment, which include having and implementing an animal wellbeing plan developed with a veterinarian.
This season, up to 10 cents of Fonterra suppliers' milk payments will be determined by the farm's sustainability credentials and milk quality.
Four focus areas unlock the initial seven cents, which include having and implementing an Animal Wellbeing Plan that is developed with a veterinarian.
Veterinary clinics are required to design a plan to capture the relevant information and create plans to improve and if the requisites change in the future they will need to adjust that plan accordingly. Vet clinics that are members of the WelFarm programme have it covered.
"Our local vets are full of knowledge and experience," Samantha Tennent, general manager of WelFarm Ltd says.
"They're one of the most trusted professionals in a farmer's support network and given the current climate, with processors asking for more information and the consumer's heightened interest in how food is being produced, they are an asset to help guide and support our farmers."
WelFarm is a web-based platform that dairy veterinary clinics use to capture herd related data surrounding health and welfare. And now it has a Wellbeing Plan template that meets the Co-operative Difference requirements for animals. Farmers are able to sign-up for all or part of the WelFarm programme.
"We want to keep it simple for farmers and their vets, we've highlighted the areas that they must complete and we've added some commentary to help them navigate as they are discussing the plan with farmers," Tennent says.
Wellbeing plans must cover topics under the five domains: nutrition, health, environment, behaviour, and mental state. The focus for animal welfare internationally has shifted from simply aiming to reduce negative experiences, to recognising the importance of increasing positive experiences. Cows need to live what is considered a good life and of course there is a close relationship between well-cared for cows and good milk production.
"Farmers want to achieve the best results they can, and it's important that the practices we use on farms are aligned with the expectations of our customers, consumers and communities.
"Having that assurance, and being able to identify areas of opportunity are valuable benefits. But there's also opportunities for farmers to utilise the information to their advantage.
"If we have to do something, let's get the most out of it, imagine if a farmer was able to prevent a cow's death or a couple of lameness cases from regular monitoring and being proactive."
The full WelFarm programme goes above and beyond the minimum requirements but it can be utilised at various levels to suit the farmer and how they wish to utilise the information with their veterinarian. And using a dedicated programme provides peace of mind knowing if Fonterra modifies heir requirements in the future, WelFarm is an easy channel to ensure vets keep up to date.
Reviewing plans annually provides opportunities to reflect and determine if efforts are paying off, and WelFarm reporting can support those reviews. It is not limited to vets too, anyone in the farmer's support network can help them understand what their reporting is showing about their animal health and welfare management, where the opportunities lie and look at the trends as they're trying to improve.
"We know we have good farmers here in New Zealand. We know they are efficient, they're striving to be sustainable and they have pride in how they care for our herds.
"We want to continue our access to markets and have a competitive advantage."
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has joined the debate around the proposed sale of Fonterra’s consumer and related businesses, demanding answers from the co-operative around its milk supply deal with the buyer, Lactalis.
OPINION: Farmer shareholders of two of New Zealand's largest co-operatives have an important decision to make this month and what they decide could change the landscape of the dairy and meat sectors in New Zealand.
OPINION: As CEO of the Dairy Board in the 1980s I was fortunate to work with a team of experienced and capable executives who made most of the brand investments that created the international consumer business Fonterra inherited. Soprole in Chile was the largest, but there were more than 20 countries where consumer marketing companies were established and Anchor and other brands were successfully launched.
Fonterra has delivered a fifth straight year of record organic milk price for farmer suppliers.
Fonterra says favourable weather conditions supporting pasture growth is boosting milk production.
Like many manufacturers around the world, European agricultural machinery and tractor manufacturers are currently operating in a difficult market environment. But they are heading to the world’s largest agricultural machinery event in Hanover next month with a degree of cautious optimism.
Established in 2021, the John Deere Technician of the Year Awards champion the important contribution parts and service technicians make to the Australian and New Zealand agriculture, construction and forestry industries.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) is calling on farmers from all regions to take part in the final season of the Sheep Poo Study aiming to build a clearer picture of how facial eczema (FE) affects farms across New Zealand.
New Zealand is closer to eradicating bovine TB than ever before, but possums remain a threat, says Beef + Lamb New Zealand.
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has joined the debate around the proposed sale of Fonterra’s consumer and related businesses, demanding answers from the co-operative around its milk supply deal with the buyer, Lactalis.
The ACT Party says media reports that global dairy giant Nestle has withdrawn from the Dairy Methane Action Alliance shows why New Zealand needs to rethink its approach to climate.
OPINION: Dairy industry players are also falling by the wayside as the economic downturn bites around the country.
OPINION: Methane Science Accord, a farmer-led organisation advocating for zero tax on ruminant methane, will be quietly celebrating its first…
