Fonterra Whareroa sets cheese record, wins top award
Fonterra Whareroa wrapped up a successful season with a record-breaking cheese production volume and several gongs at the co-op's annual Best Site Cup awards.
Coronavirus is forcing Fonterra to cancel its farmer shareholder meetings to discuss its interim results.
The co-op usually holds farmer meetings throughout the dairy belt to discuss results; instead, two webinars are being organised this week for farmers to hear from Fonterra leadership and ask questions.
Fonterra Shareholders Council chairman James Barron says restrictions caused by coronavirus means no shareholder meetings are taking place.
Councillors have also been encouraged to phone farmer shareholders rather than holding face-to-face meetings.
Fonterra farmers will get details on how to get on the webinars from their Farm Source reps.
Barron says the situation around coronavirus is changing constantly.
“Farmers, like everyone else, is bracing for uncertainty around coronavirus,” he says.
Fonterra chairman John Monaghan says coronavirus is now a global event.
He acknowledged the thousands of Kiwi businesses and communities doing it tough as a result of restrictions in place.
“These are unprecedented times, at least in my lifetime.”
The following rural/ farming events have now either been ‘postponed’ or cancelled due to the current COVID-19 situation:
• Agrifood week
• Central District field days
• International Agribusiness Summit
• NZ Shears
• All Beef and Lamb NZ events
• All regional NZ Dairy Industry Award events
• Mackenzie Easter Show
• Auckland Easter Show
• Dairy Women Network conference
• Irrigation NZ conference
• National Fieldays
Six industry organisations, including DairyNZ and the Dairy Companies Association (DCANZ) have signed an agreement with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to prepare the country for a potential foot and mouth outbreak.
The 2026 Red Dairy Cow conference will be hosted by New Zealand in March.
While global dairy commodity prices continue to climb in most key exporting countries, the second half of the year is expected to bring increased downside risks.
In a surprise move, Federated Farmers meat and wool group has dumped its chair Toby Williams.
Former MP and Southland farmer Eric Roy has received the Outstanding Contribution to New Zealand’s Primary Industries Award.
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