Another record result for Westland
Not all milk processors in New Zealand are struggling; just look at Westland Milk Products on the West Coast.
Lincoln University hosted senior management from both Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group and its subsidiary Oceania Dairy last week.
The purpose of the visit was to begin discussions and build on the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Lincoln University and Yili, signed in 2014.
Dr Xiaopeng Huang, deputy director of Yili's Innovation Centre, and Shane Lodge, quality and compliance manager of Oceania Dairy, headed the group.
Talks covered a range of topics, with a particular emphasis on value chains. The visit also included presentations and demonstrations on Lincoln University's 'paddock to plate' research.
"The outcomes from discussions held with key departments within Lincoln were extremely encouraging and revealed that the organisations are very much in tune regarding preferred outcomes from the MOU," says Lincoln University business development manager, Samuel Yu.
"We both share similar ambitions concerning the dual challenge of raising productivity and reducing environmental impacts through precision agri-technologies and on-farm best practice, as well as a shared desire to explore ways to enhance brand value via food safety and the development of new high-nutrition products.
"These topics are very much in the hearts and minds of consumers when they purchase foods; not just in China or New Zealand, but all over the world."
"We're extremely pleased to be working with a world leading food manufacturer such as Yili, and we see it as recognition of Lincoln University's global relevance as an important player in the primary sector," says Yu.
Pan Gang, chairman of Yili Group and the Vice-Chancellor of Lincoln University, Dr Andrew West signed MOU in front of President Xi Jinping of China and Prime Minister John Key, during the President's visit to New Zealand in November 2014.
New Zealand dairy processors are welcoming the Government’s commitment to continuing to push for Canada to honour its trade commitments.
An educational programme, set up by Beef + Land New Zealand, to connect farmers virtually with primary and intermediate school students has reported the successful completion of its second year.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has welcomed a resolution adopted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly to declare 2026 International Year of the Woman Farmer.
Waikato herd health veterinarian Katrina Roberts is the 2024 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year.
Trade Minister Todd McClay says New Zealand has no intention of backing down in a trade dispute with Canada over dairy products.
There have been leadership changes at the Hamilton-based Dairy Goat Co-operative, which has been struggling financially in recent years.