Thursday, 25 February 2016 09:12

Fonterra told to lifts its communication

Written by 

Fonterra been told to improve its communication with farmer shareholders.

Federated Farmers Dairy chairman Andrew Hoggard told its council conference in Nelson last week that the industry needs to better brand the NZ story.

"Our companies need to continue to look to add value, but also better explain how they are doing it," he says.

"At times Fonterra fills me with hope, and then fills me with doubt. Its communication to farmers on what it is doing and why, needs to improve dramatically."

Hoggard says competition for dairy in the global market is getting stronger.

The CAP reforms were supposed to be about a rebalancing in Europe with production moving to the green belt, countries like Ireland. If that occurs Europe it will become more competitive, even without support, and more innovative, he adds.

"When your average herd size is only 10 cows, to lift production by 10% only equates to one cow, and there is a very low marginal cost to that.

"So even if we had a level playing field, Europe and others could well perhaps be tougher competitors than they are now. It means our industry needs to get smarter. We have rested on our laurels to a degree that consumers automatically associate New Zealand products with high standards and safe food.

"As mentioned farmers in New Zealand have invested heavily in environmental initiatives, but not just that but also animal welfare, there is a good story to talk about with climate change, and many other aspects."

Another issue facing the industry is the impact on dairying on water quality.

Hoggard says farming definitely has an impact on water quality.

"As an industry we need to continue working on improving that, and if farming practices were to emerge upstream of me that were to put that quality at risk I would be the first to rally against that, being able to take my kids playing in the river is very important to me.

"But this debate does get slightly hysterical at times with claims that our rivers are ruined and you can't swim in any of them. Which is plainly not true, it absolutely gets me livid that every time any mention of the Manawatu river is made, they always say 'reportedly the worst in the Western world' based on one study where the author himself disputed that headline.

"But it was once falsely reported as the worst in the Western world which means that media from here on out can say it was 'reportedly' the worst, based on a false report they made." – Sudesh Kissun

More like this

All eyes on NZ milk supply

All eyes are on milk production in New Zealand and its impact on global dairy prices in the coming months.

"Our" business?

OPINION: One particular bone the Hound has been gnawing on for years now is how the chattering classes want it both ways when it comes to the success of NZ's dairy industry.

Dr Mike Joy says sorry, escapes censure

Academic Dr Mike Joy and his employer, Victoria University of Wellington have apologised for his comments suggesting that dairy industry CEOs should be hanged for contributing towards nitrate poisoning of waterways.

Farmer anger over Joy's social media post

A comment by outspoken academic Dr Mike Joy suggesting that dairy industry leaders should be hanged for nitrate contamination of drinking/groundwater has enraged farmers.

Featured

John Deere technician's record hat trick

Whangarei field service technician, Bryce Dickson has cemented his place in John Deere’s history, becoming the first ever person to win an award for the third time at the annual Australian and New Zealand Technician of the Year Awards, announced at a gala dinner in Brisbane last night.

Australia develops first local mRNA FMD vaccine

Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks could have a detrimental impact on any country's rural sector, as seen in the United Kingdom's 2000 outbreak that saw the compulsory slaughter of over six million animals.

NZ household food waste falls again

Kiwis are wasting less of their food than they were two years ago, and this has been enough to push New Zealand’s total household food waste bill lower, the 2025 Rabobank KiwiHarvest Food Waste survey has found.

National

All eyes on NZ milk supply

All eyes are on milk production in New Zealand and its impact on global dairy prices in the coming months.

Machinery & Products

Leader balers arrive in NZ

Officially launched at the National Fieldays event in June, the Leader in-line conventional PRO 1900 balers are imported and distributed…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Full cabinet

OPINION: Legislation being drafted to bring back the controversial trade of live animal exports by sea is getting stuck in the…

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter