Fonterra Suppliers Confident in Mainland Dairy Future
Fonterra's 460 milk suppliers in Australia, who will switch to Lactalis end of this month, are unfazed with the impending change.
Fonterra chairman John Wilson says as a farmer he is angry and disappointed with today's arbitration decision over the false botulism scare in 2013.
Speaking at a media conference with chief executive Theo Spierings, Wilson said the decision did not fully recognise the terms of supply agreement between Fonterra and Danone.
However, Wilson says he accepts the decision to award Danone $183 million in damages.
“We will now turn our attention to delivering the best possible returns for our farmers despite this outcome,” he says.
He added that Fonterra’s management is also committed to this.
Wilson and the management team briefed the Shareholders Council on the arbitration decision before the media conference.
He says there is also frustration among shareholders.
Danone sought damages for recalling products; the precautionary recall was a result of a false test from a third party.
Matt McRae, a farmer from Mokoreta in Southland who runs a sheep, beef and dairy support business alongside a sheep stud, has been elected to the Beef +Lamb NZ Board as a farmer director.
Ravensdown's next evolution in smart farming technology, HawkEye Pro, was awarded the Technology Section Award at the Southern Field Days Farm Innovation Awards in February 2026.
While mariners may recognise a “dog watch” as a two-hour shift on a ship, the Good Dog Work Watch is quite a different concept and the clever creation of Southland siblings Grace (9) and Archer Brown (7), both pupils at Riverton Primary School.
Philip and Lyneyre Hooper of the Hoopman Family Trust have tonight been named the Taranaki Regional Supreme Winners at the Ballance Farm Environment Awards.
We are not a bunch of sky cowboys. That was one of the key messages from the chairperson of the NZ Agricultural Aviation Association (NZAAA) Kent Weir, speaking at an education day at Feilding aerodrome for 25 policymakers and regulators from central and local government and other rural professionals.
New Zealand's dairy and beef industries say they welcome the announcement that the Government will invest $10.49 million in the Dairy Beef Opportunities (DBO) programme.

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