US remains important market - Fonterra
Fonterra says the US continues to be an important market for New Zealand dairy and the co-op.
Fonterra will sell its 50% interest in DairiConcepts, the co-op's US joint venture with Dairy Farmers of America (DFA).
DFA will purchase Fonterra's 50% interest on 31 December 2015 for a price of approximately $196 million (subject to foreign exchange conversion adjustments and customary closing adjustments).
The DairiConcepts partnership was established in 2000 when Fonterra contributed its US dairy/cheese flavours business and DFA contributed a number of cheese and cheese-powder assets.
Fonterra chief executive Theo Spierings says the transaction did not impact the longstanding relationship with DFA. Fonterra and DFA were both founding members of the Global Dairy Platform and had a shared interest in promoting the growth in global dairy consumption and the further development of cooperative dairy farming. Fonterra had decided to exit the partnership as it was considered to be a non-core component of its strategy.
"We still value our relationship with DFA, however, as the DairiConcepts business is almost completely stand-alone operationally, we have agreed that it would be simpler for one of the partners to buy the other out.
"The US remains a key part of our global multi-hub strategy and this divestment does not prevent Fonterra from exploring new growth opportunities for this milk pool.
"A long-term supply agreement we have reached as part of the sale, means our US milk pool will continue to meet value add customer demand through our NZMP brand."
Federated Farmers supports a review of the current genetic technology legislation but insists that a farmer’s right to either choose or reject it must be protected.
New Zealand’s top business leaders are urging the US Administration to review “unjustified and discriminatory tariffs” imposed on Kiwi exporters.
New tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump signal an uncertain future, but New Zealand farmers know how to adapt to changing conditions, says Auriga Martin, chief executive of Farm Focus.
A global trade war beckons, which is bad news for a small open economy like New Zealand, warns Mark Smith ASB senior economist.
Carterton's Awakare Farm has long stood as a place where family, tradition and innovation intersect.
Fonterra says the US continues to be an important market for New Zealand dairy and the co-op.
OPINION: Is it the beginning of the end for Greenpeace?
OPINION: The good times felt across the dairy sector weren't lost at last week's Beef + Lamb NZ annual meeting.