Winston's crusade
OPINION: A short-term sugar hit. That's what NZ First leader Winston Peters is calling the proposed sale of Fonterra's consumer and associated businesses.
Fonterra chief executive Miles Hurrell (left) cuts the 10th birthday cake with Farm Source head Anne Douglas (middle) and managing director co-op affairs Mike Cronin.
Hundreds of Fonterra farmers visited their local Farm Source store on November 29 to help celebrate the rural service trader's tenth anniversary.
To mark the occasion, 'Pie Day Fridays' at Farm Source stores was turned into 'Cake Day Friday' with local store teams putting on spreads.
Farm Source group director Anne Douglas says it was a special way to recognise the milestone.
"It was fantastic to see so many of our farmer owners and other valued customers join us in store. Our store teams really embraced the spirit of the occasion and there were some very creative cakes: I was at our store in Waiuku and I know the farmers I met there were delighted to be part of the celebration."
Farm Source is Fonterra's farmer facing team and was rebranded from RD1 in 2014.
The co-op says it has taken relationships with farmer shareholders to a whole new level by providing on-farm support and advice, lowering on-farm costs and giving back to rural communities - building closer connections with farmers and delivering the strongest farmer offering.
"Farm Source exists to service the co-op's farmers, offering the tools and support they want and where they need them," says Douglas.
"It's their co-op and Farm Source is here to help them continue to sustainably produce some of the world's finest milk."
Fewer bobby calves are heading to the works this season, as more dairy farmers recognise the value of rearing calves for beef.
The key to a dairy system that generates high profit with a low emissions intensity is using low footprint feed, says Fonterra program manager on-farm excellence, Louise Cook.
Rural retailer Farmlands has reported a return to profitability, something the co-operative says shows clear progress in the second year of its five-year strategy.
According to a new report, the Safer Rides initiative, which offered farmers heavily discounted crush protection devices (CPDs) for quad bikes, has made a significant impact in raising awareness and action around farm vehicle safety.
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