Fonterra launches $1500 on-farm funding for eligible farmers
Over 85% of Fonterra farmer suppliers will be eligible for customer funding up to $1,500 for solutions designed to drive on-farm efficiency gains and reduce emissions intensity.
Another 40 million cartons of whipping cream will soon be rolling down the conveyors at Fonterra’s state-of-the-art Waitoa UHT facility every year, as the cooperative keeps pace with growing demand.
Previously planned to come online in 2018, Fonterra brought forward the project to add another production line at the Waikato site, with work on the $12 million build now set for completion in February 2017.
Fonterra director global foodservice Grant Watson says the acceleration of plans to supply China with more UHT is exciting for the business, given new builds in the foodservice space are typically demand-led.
“For foodservice products we build capacity based on secured customer orders. The fact we have needed to bring the project forward is a good sign of dairy’s growing popularity in China and points to the strength of our teams in market who are identifying that demand and converting it into sales.”
Fonterra’s recent annual results showed total sales in its foodservice portfolio have increased exponentially, currently growing at a rate of 15% on last year.
Fonterra chief operating officer global operations Robert Spurway says the new line will be up and running by March next year and will bring the site’s total UHT capacity up to 112,000 packs per hour.
“This new line enables us to expand our operations to send more of our farmers milk to higher value products and keeps us on track to meet our ambition of foodservice becoming a $5 billion business by 2023,” says Spurway.
The new line will be at full capacity by April next year and will create 14 full time jobs at the site.
A Chinese business leader says Chinese investors are unfairly viewed as potential security risks in New Zealand.
In the first of two articles focusing on electrification in New Zealand, Leo Argent talks with Mike Casey, operator of the 100% electric-operated Electric Cherries orchard and founder of advocacy group Rewiring Aotearoa.
A Foundation for Arable Research initiative which took a closer look at the efficiency of a key piece of machinery for arable farmers - their combine harvesters - has been recognised at the Primary Industry NZ Awards.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has reiterated New Zealand’s ‘China And’ policy, adding that it wasn’t about choosing one market over another but creating more options for exporters.
A long running trade dispute between New Zealand and Canada over dairy access has been resolved.
New Zealand Police is urging rural property owners to remain vigilant and ensure their property is secure.
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