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.
A Covid outbreak on a supplier farm will not stop Fonterra from collecting milk, says chief executive Miles Hurrell.
He told Dairy News that milk collection is not up for discussion.
"We will pick up milk even if the farmer is affected by Covid," he says.
"Tankers will still turn up to collect milk - that's not up for discussion."
Fonterra has processes in place for such a situation. There will be no "human to human contact" on the farm, says Hurrell.
The right controls will need to be in place on the farm as well.
On vaccination, Hurrell says it's not mandatory for Fonterra staff or farmer suppliers and their workers.
However, the co-operative ran on-site vaccination clinics to boost uptake among staff.
Covid is seeping through the Auckland border into other parts of the North Island. Dairy farmers are preparing for more positive cases turning up on farms.
"It's only a matter of time before we get more positive cases of Covid-19 turning up on farm," says Federated Farmers dairy chair Chris Lewis.
"Distance from health and other facilities, workforce shortages and the need to continue to look after animals and crops raise all sorts of complications.
"As DHB medical officers will be making the decision on whether it's practicable for a farmer or key farm staff member to self-isolate on the farm, evidence of pre-planning and preparedness will be an important factor," Lewis says.
In a Federated Farmers-hosted webinar Southern DHB medical officer of health Dr Michael Butchard emphasised being double-jabbed was the "very best defence" if a farmer or key team member who tests positive sought to self-isolate on farm.
Vaccination rates of people on the farm would weigh heavily on MOHs as they made the "case by case" decisions on how and where isolation owuld happen if someone tested positive.
"The latest data out of the USA indicates if you're not vaccinated you're 11 times more likely to die from Covid-19 and 10 times more likely to be hospitalised," Butchard says.
The Ministry for Primary Industries has been working with the agri sector to ensure farmers are prepared.
The latest initiative is a checklist for farmers so that they can tick off preparation readiness in terms of personal wellbeing, and everything a neighbour or someone else coming onto the farm would need to know should key people have to go into MIQ or hospital - right down to the names of dogs and where their food is located.
The checklist is available on DairyNZ and Federated Farmers websites.
Newly elected Federated Farmers meat and wool group chair Richard Dawkins says he will continue the great work done his predecessor Toby Williams.
Hosted by ginger dynamo Te Radar, the Fieldays Innovation Award Winners Event put the spotlight on the agricultural industry's most promising ideas.
According to DairyNZ's latest Econ Tracker update, there has been a rise in the forecast breakeven milk price for the 2025/26 season.
Despite the rain and a liberal coating of mud, engines roared, and the 50th Fieldays Tractor Pull Competition drew crowds of spectators across the four days of the annual event.
Nationwide rural wellbeing programme, Farmstrong recently celebrated its tenth birthday at Fieldays with an event attended by ambassador Sam Whitelock, Farmers Mutual Group (FMG), Farmstrong partners, and government Ministers.
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.
OPINION: It's official, Fieldays 2025 clocked 110,000 visitors over the four days.
OPINION: The Federated Farmers rural advocacy hub at Fieldays has been touted as a great success.