Milk processors gear up for big year

 Kimberly Crewther has moved to a full-time role as executive director of the Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand, (DCANZ); a policy manager has been appointed to deal with the increased work load.

Crewther was formerly in a part-time role as executive-director in a secondment arrangement with DairyNZ.

Crewther says the step up in resourcing reflects increased complexity in the operating environment for global exporters. This means more work and demand for DCANZ to engage in policy changes and emerging policy development.

“The companies that are members of DCANZ continue to strongly value what they get from working together to secure a favourable operating environment,” Crewther says. “DCANZ has had substantial growth in membership in the last two years and so with increased membership you get a step up in the need for management across all members including the complexity of establishing what those common policy positions are.”

Crewther says a big year is anticipated on the trade policy front for dairy as the TTP negotiations are now well advanced. New Zealand is also launching negotiations for an FTA with the European Union (EU)

“Trade policy is an area of ongoing interest for DCANZ because things have moved into bilateral and regional negotiations which give a spaghetti bowl effect. So within that New Zealand companies have an increased interest in making sure their exports aren’t disadvantaged against offshore competitors,” she says.

Crewther says while DCANZ won’t have an official role in the negotiations it will engage with New Zealand officials to make sure they understand the interests and priorities of  all DCANZ members.

With limits on milk production being lifted this year in the EU, Crewther says DCANZ will be carefully watching developments. They will advocate for greater trade liberalisation to deal with any increased production rather than artificial means such as price setting.

“We would not want to see the renewed use of intervention and of those other tools - we think the best way for managing volatility is trade liberalisation and   also transparency in the market. New Zealand has contributed to the transparency through the likes of the development of the Global Dairy Trade platform.”

On the domestic front Crewther says they will focus on issues such as water, biosecurity and food safety. She expects DCANZ to be involved in consultation with government on new rules relating to manufacturing standards. They are also working with government agencies on the preparedness for foot and mouth disease.

Meanwhile Pip McLachlan will join DCANZ as policy manager. She is on secondment from MFAT for an, as yet, unspecified time.

Barnao joins DairyNZ

Another Ministry of Primary Industries executive is joining the dairy industry.

Carol Barnao has been appointed as the new general manager of policy and advocacy for DairyNZ; she replaces Kimberly Crewther.

Barnao is currently MPI’s deputy director-general of the change management programmes.

She previously held the role of deputy director-general, standards with MPI for four years and has also been director of standards with the NZ Food Safety Authority.

Last year, former MPI director general Wauyne McNee took over as chief executive of LIC.