Fonterra unveils divestment plan
Fonterra is exploring full or partial divestment options for its global Consumer business, as well as its integrated businesses Fonterra Oceania and Fonterra Sri Lanka.
It's not our preference to kick someone when they are down. But Fonterra’s appearance at Tauranga District Court relating to six illegal wastewater discharges at its Edgecumbe plant leaves us little choice.
Fonterra and its 10,500 farmers are facing tough times; the diminishing payout is causing anxiety. And at a time when many farmers are vulnerable, the 14-page ruling by Judge Smith will offer them little comfort.
The judge is scathing to say the least and he wants the message to be relayed to Fonterra directors and management.
“When Fonterra, who has taken it upon itself to be responsible for improving farm operations through its farm advisors and audit systems for ecological reasons, is found to have failed to invest in such a basic way, this task is made more difficult and this is a significant disappointment to this court.”
“I hope you will communicate that to the directors and the management team,” he told a Fonterra representative in court.
Fonterra and its farmers are under close scrutiny; most environment groups are watching the dairy industry like hawks. The co-op is blamed for everything from polluting waterways to the high price of milk on supermarket shelves.
This conviction and the strong judgement gives the greenies more ammunition to attack farmers.
Fonterra says as part of an annual audit of irrigation operations at Edgecumbe it identified a list of equipment needing repair or replacement. The work was underway at the time of the discharges and has since been accelerated -- replacing worn and aging irrigators and pipes, strengthening and relocating hydrants, better inspecting irrigation and stormwater systems, and doing more staff training.
Fonterra has accepted the judgement and the $174,000 fine, apologised to the community and its farmers, and said it will not repeat the offences.
Fonterra takes its obligations under the Resource Management Act seriously and acknowledges the need to increase controls on irrigation operations and stormwater systems. It continues investing in these systems and the people that manage them to ensure it meets environmental best practice.
At a time when farmers are under the pump, facing budget blowouts and cashflow issues, the last thing they need is public humiliation. Now let’s see the co-op put this sorry saga behind it and work to quickly regain the top environmental credentials it is known for.
South Waikato farm manager Ben Purua’s amazing transformation from gang life to milking cows was rewarded with the Ahuwhenua Young Maori Farmer award last night.
Bankers have been making record profits in the last few years, but those aren’t the only records they’ve been breaking, says Federated Farmers vice president Richard McIntyre.
The 2023-24 season has been a roller coaster ride for Waikato dairy farmers, according to Federated Farmers dairy section chair, Mathew Zonderop.
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) director general Ray Smith says job cuts announced this morning will not impact the way the Ministry is organised or merge business units.
Scales Corporation is acquiring a number of orchard assets from Bostock Group.
Family and solidarity shone through at the 75 years of Ferdon sale in Otorohanga last month.
OPINION: Scientists claim to have found a new way to make a substitute for cow's milk that could have a…
OPINION: The Irish have come up with a novel way to measure cow belching, which is said to account for…