Fonterra Suppliers Confident in Mainland Dairy Future
Fonterra's 460 milk suppliers in Australia, who will switch to Lactalis end of this month, are unfazed with the impending change.
Sustainability is not a fad and won't go away, says retiring Fonterra Co-operative Council member Mike Montgomerie.
He says sustainability will be an enduring feature of farming.
He says Fonterra is moving in the right direction when it comes to improving its environmental footprint right across its business.
Montgomerie believes farmers are also doing their fair share but admits that methane emissions are a hard nut to crack.
He hopes that some technological solutions will come to farmers' aid so that they can have a commercially viable, cost-effective way of reducing emissions.
"It will be brilliant for dairy farming. I understand there's no silver bullet but once our emissions start heading in the right direction, it will provide a lot of comfort for NZ farming families, Fonterra and the banks."
He believes sustainability is crucial to maintain Fonterra's international markets.
"The sustainability piece is most important because of the rise in alternative proteins. If you don't crack the methane emissions issues and you are up against alternatives who don't have the same problems, it is going to be trouble for us."
Matt McRae, a farmer from Mokoreta in Southland who runs a sheep, beef and dairy support business alongside a sheep stud, has been elected to the Beef +Lamb NZ Board as a farmer director.
Ravensdown's next evolution in smart farming technology, HawkEye Pro, was awarded the Technology Section Award at the Southern Field Days Farm Innovation Awards in February 2026.
While mariners may recognise a “dog watch” as a two-hour shift on a ship, the Good Dog Work Watch is quite a different concept and the clever creation of Southland siblings Grace (9) and Archer Brown (7), both pupils at Riverton Primary School.
Philip and Lyneyre Hooper of the Hoopman Family Trust have tonight been named the Taranaki Regional Supreme Winners at the Ballance Farm Environment Awards.
We are not a bunch of sky cowboys. That was one of the key messages from the chairperson of the NZ Agricultural Aviation Association (NZAAA) Kent Weir, speaking at an education day at Feilding aerodrome for 25 policymakers and regulators from central and local government and other rural professionals.
New Zealand's dairy and beef industries say they welcome the announcement that the Government will invest $10.49 million in the Dairy Beef Opportunities (DBO) programme.
OPINION: Expect the Indian free trade deal to feature strongly in the election campaign.
OPINION: One of the world's largest ice cream makers, Nestlé, is going cold on the viability of making the dessert.