Keeping cyber attacks at bay
Fonterra says it takes the ongoing threat of 'adverse cyber action' extremely seriously.
Former Fonterra director Mark Townsend believes people need to be more wary about the real motives behind critics of the dairy co-op.
He concedes that Fonterra cops its share of criticism – some deserved and some over the top.
Referring to the attack on Fonterra leadership by NZ First Minister Shane Jones, Townshend says the “bizarre outburst will have been fuelled from somewhere”.
“And it will be worth watching who funds political parties (donations) and what they might like to see for their own self-interest as Government legislators do the DIRA review,” he told Rural News.
Townshend says non-supplying Fonterra unit holders receiving disappointing returns on investments have “a genuine grievance”.
However, he is disappointed at criticism from Fonterra shareholders and ex-Fonterra employees.
Townsend says Fonterra farmers need to be able to make their own assessments around how well the co-op is doing in paying its farmers a globally competitive milk price – rather than being overly influenced by outside parties with their own vested interests.
Among the regular exhibitors at last month’s South Island Agricultural Field Days, the one that arguably takes the most intensive preparation every time is the PGG Wrightson Seeds site.
Two high producing Canterbury dairy farmers are moving to blended stockfeed supplements fed in-shed for a number of reasons, not the least of which is to boost protein levels, which they can’t achieve through pasture under the region’s nitrogen limit of 190kg/ha.
Buoyed by strong forecasts for milk prices and a renewed demand for dairy assets, the South Island rural real estate market has begun the year with positive momentum, according to Colliers.
The six young cattle breeders participating in the inaugural Holstein Friesian NZ young breeder development programme have completed their first event of the year.
New Zealand feed producers are being encouraged to boost staff training to maintain efficiency and product quality.
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