Divestment means Fonterra can focus on its strengths
OPINION: Fonterra's board has certainly presented us, as shareholders, with a major issue to consider.
Total milk production in New Zealand decreased 2% in January compared to the same month last year, says Fonterra.
Milk production for the 12 months to January is down 2% on the same period the previous year.
It says for the remainder of the New Zealand production season production will continue to be influenced by changes in farming systems, such as decreased stocking rates and supplementary feeding, as farmers respond to the low milk price environment.
Australian production in December decreased 4% on the same month the previous year. Production for the 12 months to December was up 1% on the same period the previous year. However, the rate of growth continues to slow as pasture growth conditions have deteriorated due to dry weather in many dairying regions.
NZ exports increased 6% in December compared to the same month the previous year, with increases seen in most major dairy categories, excluding WMP and SMP. Exports for the 12 months to December increased 4% on the same period the previous year. An increase of around 117,000 tonnes for the 12 months was largely driven by cheese up 18%, SMP up 7% and AMF up 5%, but partially offset by butter down 5% and WMP down 3%.
Australian exports increased 1% in December on the same month in the previous year. Significant increases in cheese, up 26%, and fluid and fresh dairy, up 6%, were almost fully offset by WMP, whey powder and SMP, whichwere all down.
Exports for the 12 months to December remain strong, up 7% on the same period in the previous year. This is largely due to SMP being up 23%, cheese up 14%, and fluid and fresh dairy up 9%.
Meat co-operative, Alliance has met with a group of farmer shareholders, who oppose the sale of a controlling stake in the co-op to Irish company Dawn Meats.
Rollovers of quad bikes or ATVs towing calf milk trailers have typically prompted a Safety Alert from Safer Farms, the industry-led organisation dedicated to fostering a safer farming culture across New Zealand.
The Government has announced it has invested $8 million in lower methane dairy genetics research.
A group of Kiwi farmers are urging Alliance farmer-shareholders to vote against a deal that would see the red meat co-operative sell approximately $270 million in shares to Ireland's Dawn Meats.
In a few hundred words it's impossible to adequately describe the outstanding contribution that James Brendan Bolger made to New Zealand since he first entered politics in 1972.
Dawn Meats is set to increase its proposed investment in Alliance Group by up to $25 million following stronger than forecast year-end results by Alliance.
OPINION: Voting is underway for Fonterra’s divestment proposal, with shareholders deciding whether or not sell its consumer brands business.
OPINION: Politicians and Wellington bureaucrats should take a leaf out of the book of Canterbury District Police Commander Superintendent Tony Hill.