Opinion divided
OPINION: Boutique milk company Lewis Road Creamery’s latest offering to mark Matariki is unfairly facing heat from certain quarters of Māoridom, who are opposed to any commercialisation of all things Māori.
Boutique dairy producer Lewis Road Creamery has eliminated 210 tonnes of fresh plastic from its packaging cycle over the last year.
The company has been trialling bottles made from 100% recycled plastic.
To celebrate Recycling Week NZ, the company said it has now permanently shifted all its bottles to rPET, which is made from 100% recycled plastic and is 100% recyclable in New Zealand.
“No new plastic is created, and no plastic is shipped offshore because rPET is accepted by every council in the country,” said Lewis Road founder Peter Cullinane.
“It’s an additional cost to us, but it’s one we’re happy to absorb rather than pass on simply because this is the right thing to do.”
He said switching the company’s 750ml and 1.5L milk bottles had saved the production and import of 210 tonnes of fresh plastic into New Zealand.
Also, the company will now change its 300ml flavoured milk and cream bottles to rPET, and will reduce the amount of plastic used in each of its 1.5L bottles by 30%. These two moves will save an extra combined 73 tonnes of plastic each year.
“The colour of the bottles isn’t perfect,” said Cullinane.
“We’ve had to tell a few customers that even though the bottles no longer look completely clear, the product inside is still pristine. Hopefully by doing this we can help make the path easier for others who may follow.”
Analysis by Dunedin-based Techion New Zealand shows the cost of undetected drench resistance in sheep has exploded to an estimated $98 million a year.
Shipping disruption caused by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea has so far not impacted fertiliser prices or supply on farm.
The opportunity to spend more time on farm while providing a dedicated service for shareholders attracted new environmental manager Ben Howden to work for Waimakariri Irrigation Limited (WIL).
Federated Farmers claims that the Otago Regional Council is charging ahead unnecessarily with piling more regulation on rural communities.
Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.
OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.