Wednesday, 05 February 2025 10:25

Bovaer's fate

Written by Milking It

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OPINION: The fate of methane inhibitor Bovaer in NZ farming is still up in the air.

While many countries, including Australia, have approved the use of the feed additive, authorities in NZ are still grappling with allowing NZ dairy farmers to use it.

Controversy erupted just before Christmas, when BBC's Inside Science podcast reported on a social media backlash to well-known brands of milk, butter and cheese sold at major United Kingdom supermarkets, produced using milk from lower-methane cows.

After false rumours Fonterra was using the product, the dairy giant tweeted last month that food safety and quality were its "number one priority" and that Bovaer had not been approved for use on New Zealand farms.

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Fonterra lifts milk price forecast to $10.15/kgMS

Fonterra has increased its 2024/25 forecast Farmgate Milk Price from $10/kgMS to $10.15/kgMS.

Cynical politics

OPINION: There is zero chance that someone who joined Fonterra as a lobbyist, then served as a general manager of Fonterra's nutrient management programme, and sat on the board of Export NZ, a division of lobbyist group Business New Zealand, doesn't understand that local butter (and milk and cheese) prices are set by the international commodity price.

Why is butter so expensive in New Zealand? Fonterra explains

Kiwis love their butter, and that's great because New Zealand produces some of the best butter in the world. But when the price of butter goes up, it's tough for some, particularly when many other grocery staples have also gone up and the heat goes on co-operative Fonterra, the country's main butter maker. Here the co-op explains why butter prices are so high right now.