Fonterra cements position as the big cheese!
Fonterra has cemented its position as the country’s number one cheesemaker by picking up nine NZ Champion of Cheese trophies this year.
Deputy Prime Minister Bill English says farmers should not put the blame on Fonterra.
On the co-ops performance, English says during a downturn there is always a temptation to blame; however that's a product of world supply.
"You can't expect Fonterra to be setting the world price."
He is confident that whatever Fonterra is discussing with its shareholders it is helping farmers maintain a cohesive and confident view of the future.
Fonterra is expecting milk production to be lower by 4% this season. English says this allows the co-op to focus on its volume-to-value strategy. More milk is going into higher value products.
Shareholders and the Government would like to think more could have happened sooner, English says.
"But Fonterra has had to deal with this big surge in production over recent years so they are now well geared up with the right attitude to push more volume into high value added products.
"In five years that's how farmers will judge them: on how the co-op has succeeded in turning more milk into high value products."
However, English notes that higher value added products would always be risky investments; Fonterra's product range will always be underpinned by a base load of competitive production of milk powder commodity type products.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand chief executive for the past eight years, Sam McIvor is heading for new pastures at Ospri, which runs NZ’s integrated animal disease management and traceability service.
The world's largest wool scouring facility, WoolWorks Awatoto plant in Napier, is back operating at full capacity.
A year on and the problems created by Cyclones Hale and Gabrielle has largely dropped off the radar of media and politicians.
Feeling forgotten and in a fragile space financially and mentally.
The European Union Ambassador says the new free trade agreement (FTA) between the bloc and New Zealand will bring significant benefits to both parties.
Less Wellington bureucracy and more local, on-farm common sense was the focus of recent meetings held in South Canterbury as part of the Government's National Woolshed tour program.