increase font size
FONTERRA IS helping flood-affected suppliers in NSW and Victoria, offering interest-free advances and on-farm advice.
Though the flood waters continue to recede, there's still a lot of water in paddocks, the co-op says.
"The good news is the waters are receding. Right now, we are helping flood-affected farmers in the region to recover. We were sorry to see the severity of the damage and want to make sure our farmers get back on their feet as quickly as possible."
Safety has been the co-op's priority during the floods. Staff, their families and farmer suppliers in the affected areas are said to be safe.
Fonterra closed its factory at Wagga Wagga, southwest of Sydney after an evacuation order was issued at the height of the floods on March 6. But the water peaked lower than expected and did not harm the plant, which reopened the next day and is now fully operational.
"During the height of the floods, milk from our farmers in this region was collected and transported to Stanhope for processing. Now all milk is being processed back at Wagga Wagga."
All milk had been collected from suppliers in the affected areas of Wagga Wagga and Northern Victoria, but 30 farmers were hit by the floods, having very wet pastures.
"We have worked closely with Murray Dairy and Dairy Australia on options for relief and support for affected farmers."
The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) has declared parts of NSW and Victoria as a catastrophe. The declaration covers the NSW Riverina, NSW Central West and northern Victoria, where thousands of people were forced out of their homes by floods.
ICA chief executive Rob Whelan says the declaration required an insurance taskforce to ensure policyholders got the help they might need as quickly.
"There have so far been fewer than 4000 claims, however we expect numbers to increase."
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has joined the debate around the proposed sale of Fonterra’s consumer and related businesses, demanding answers from the co-operative around its milk supply deal with the buyer, Lactalis.
OPINION: Farmer shareholders of two of New Zealand's largest co-operatives have an important decision to make this month and what they decide could change the landscape of the dairy and meat sectors in New Zealand.
OPINION: As CEO of the Dairy Board in the 1980s I was fortunate to work with a team of experienced and capable executives who made most of the brand investments that created the international consumer business Fonterra inherited. Soprole in Chile was the largest, but there were more than 20 countries where consumer marketing companies were established and Anchor and other brands were successfully launched.
Fonterra has delivered a fifth straight year of record organic milk price for farmer suppliers.
Fonterra says favourable weather conditions supporting pasture growth is boosting milk production.
Like many manufacturers around the world, European agricultural machinery and tractor manufacturers are currently operating in a difficult market environment. But they are heading to the world’s largest agricultural machinery event in Hanover next month with a degree of cautious optimism.
Established in 2021, the John Deere Technician of the Year Awards champion the important contribution parts and service technicians make to the Australian and New Zealand agriculture, construction and forestry industries.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) is calling on farmers from all regions to take part in the final season of the Sheep Poo Study aiming to build a clearer picture of how facial eczema (FE) affects farms across New Zealand.
New Zealand is closer to eradicating bovine TB than ever before, but possums remain a threat, says Beef + Lamb New Zealand.
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has joined the debate around the proposed sale of Fonterra’s consumer and related businesses, demanding answers from the co-operative around its milk supply deal with the buyer, Lactalis.
The ACT Party says media reports that global dairy giant Nestle has withdrawn from the Dairy Methane Action Alliance shows why New Zealand needs to rethink its approach to climate.
OPINION: Dairy industry players are also falling by the wayside as the economic downturn bites around the country.
OPINION: Methane Science Accord, a farmer-led organisation advocating for zero tax on ruminant methane, will be quietly celebrating its first…
