Open Country opens butter plant
When American retail giant Cosco came to audit Open Country Dairy’s new butter plant at the Waharoa site and give the green light to supply their American stores, they allowed themselves a week for the exercise.
Afimilk, a global dairy farm management solutions provider, has appointed Justin Miller as the new general manager for New Zealand and Australia.
The company says with an extensive background in sales and business development and a proven leadership track record, Miller will help drive growth and innovation in the region.
Miller brings over 15 years of international and national experience in sales and management, having previously held key leadership roles at Johnston Controls, Datacom, and Gallagher Security.
In his new position, Miller will manage all operations for Afimilk in New Zealand and Australia, focusing on delivering advanced technology and solutions that enable dairy farmers to optimise productivity and sustainability. He will work closely with their accredited dealer network, Headlands, Ace Electrical and Read Industrial, ensuring that Afimilk continues to meet the evolving needs of the dairy industry.
“The cow monitoring collar market has seen significant growth in recent years,” says Miller.
“I am looking forward to leading the Afimilk teams in New Zealand and Australia during this exciting time for the industry.
“Our solution gives farmers the data to make informed decisions, making the farmer more effective daily basis and paves the way for a more sustainable dairying future.”
Afimilk vice president global business, Jecka Glasman says they are thrilled to welcome Miller to the team.
“With his expertise and passion for the sector, we are confident that he will lead our operations in New Zealand and Australia to new heights, further solidifying our commitment to supporting farmers with innovative solutions.”
Justin will be on-site supporting the Afimilk sales and technical team at the South Island Dairy Event (SIDE) in Timaru in early April.
The sale of Fonterra’s global consumer and related businesses is expected to be completed within two months.
Fonterra is boosting its butter production capacity to meet growing demand.
For the most part, dairy farmers in the Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Tairawhiti and the Manawatu appear to have not been too badly affected by recent storms across the upper North Island.
South Island dairy production is up on last year despite an unusually wet, dull and stormy summer, says DairyNZ lower South Island regional manager Jared Stockman.
Following a side-by-side rolling into a gully, Safer Farms has issued a new Safety Alert.
Coming in at a year-end total at 3088 units, a rise of around 10% over the 2806 total for 2024, the signs are that the New Zealand farm machinery industry is turning the corner after a difficult couple of years.
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