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John Monaghan.
Fonterra says the proposed changes to DIRA announced today will bring some improvements to the sector, but it also represents a missed opportunity to better support New Zealand.
Fonterra chairman, John Monaghan says that while the Government has recommended tweaks to the rules under which Fonterra has to give its farmers’ milk, effectively at cost price to foreign-backed competitors, the playing field is still tipped against New Zealand dairy farmers.
“Our farmer-owned cooperative wants an industry that promotes investment across regional New Zealand and where profits are kept in New Zealand. We stand for an industry where New Zealand farmers are paid well for their milk and the unique attributes of our environment are protected and enhanced.
“Given the significant increase in competition within the New Zealand dairy industry, we’re disappointed the Government did not recommend removing the requirement for us to supply our farmers’ milk to large, export-focused businesses altogether.”
Fonterra welcomed the Government’s decision to give the co-op to refuse milk from a farm unlikely to comply with its terms of supply, or where the farm is a new conversion.
Monaghan says these changes will support the co-op’s ability to meet customers’ demands and continue leading the industry toward a sustainable future for farmers and the rural communities.
Fonterra supports greater pricing transparency across the industry and notes with interest the Government’s decision that the Minister of Agriculture will be able to nominate one person to sit on Fonterra’s Milk Price Panel.
Fonterra encourages the Government to extend this transparency and require all processors to publish the average price they pay to farmers, the key parameters of their milk price and examples showing the payout that would be received for different parameters.
“All efforts to bring greater pricing transparency into the dairy industry should be encouraged. There’s no downside in farmers having clear, consistent information from which to compare processors,” says Monaghan.
“We look forward to constructively participating in the upcoming legislative process and will continue to push for an outcome that is in the interests of all dairy farmers and New Zealand.”
OPINION: There is zero chance that someone who joined Fonterra as a lobbyist, then served as a general manager of Fonterra's nutrient management programme, and sat on the board of Export NZ, a division of lobbyist group Business New Zealand, doesn't understand that local butter (and milk and cheese) prices are set by the international commodity price.
Kiwis love their butter, and that's great because New Zealand produces some of the best butter in the world. But when the price of butter goes up, it's tough for some, particularly when many other grocery staples have also gone up and the heat goes on co-operative Fonterra, the country's main butter maker. Here the co-op explains why butter prices are so high right now.
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