New Zealand Sign Language Week Highlights Inclusion at Fonterra Clandeboye
Last week marked New Zealand Sign Language Week and a South Canterbury tanker operator is sharing what it's like to be deaf in a busy Fonterra depot.
Fonterra is being as transparent and open as possible, but questions on the timeline of events will need to wait until internal and external reviews, says managing director of New Zealand Milk Products, Gary Romano.
Asked at a press conference yesterday why Fonterra did not put a crisis plan in place when they had reason to retest the whey in March, Romano said "at that point there was no belief by anyone that this was going to lead to concern for the consumers".
However he said they did not want to comment further on timelines and decisions made at this stage.
"There will be a time when we go through the timeline," he said. "That timeline will be subject to our own internal review, and our expectation is that MPI will have oversight of that review. I don't want to pre-empt what is happening.
"What I would really like is for science to take over here and explain what we did when and why. There's a process for that, you can be assured there will be a process not only internally, but there will be external oversight. It's premature to ask about which tests were done when and why."
He said the focus right now was an operational one. "It is very much about getting information out to our customers, so they can do their job in getting product off the shelf. That's out immediate focus."
Earlier he said Fonterra will be as transparent and open as it could, and move at speed. "Sometimes that speed means we don't have all the complete information with us, but we are acting transparently, we are moving at speed and we are trying to do what is best for consumers."
More than 1200 exhibitors will showcase their products and services at next month’s National Fieldays, with sites nearly sold out.
Despite difficult trading conditions for European machinery manufacturers brought about conflicts in Ukraine and Iran, alongside the United States imposing punitive tariffs, Italian manufacturer Maschio Gaspardo, has seen turnover increase 12% in 2025 to €390 million (NZ$775m) with a net profit of €11.2 million (NZ$22.3).
New Zealand innovation company Techion, best known for its animal diagnostics platform, FECPAK has signed an exclusive strategic partnership with Farmlands to bring independent animal health disease intelligence to its customers.
Zespri says it welcomes the recently signed Western Bay of Plenty Regional Deal, describing it as an important step towards supporting growth in the region and for New Zealand's kiwifruit industry.
Troubled milk processor Synlait has lost its third chief executive in five years.
Westgold butter has been named New Zealand's tastiest in a blind tasting conducted by Consumer New Zealand.
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