Fonterra shaves 50c off forecast milk price
Fonterra has dropped its forecast milk price mid-point by 50c as a surge in global milk production is putting downward pressure on commodity prices.
Fonterra Shareholders' Council chairman, Ian Brown, says farmers' take-up of the latest Fonterra Supply Offer shows they are beginning to take advantage of the flexibility Trading Among Farmers (TAF) offers them.
Twenty per cent of Farmers sold close to $600 million worth of the economic rights to their Wet Shares, Brown says.
"The first supply offer saw farmers exercise some understandable caution but with growing confidence in the new system farmers are now ready to use TAF as it was intended.
"The solid level of demand from shareholders to release some of the economic value of their shares shows they are using TAF to their benefit.
"Farmers are taking advantage of the greater flexibility it offers them in making decisions that impact the day-to-day running of their business.
"This also strengthens our cooperative as Fonterra is now able to make better use of our capital rather than, as the recent drought would have compelled it to, distribute it as farmers redeemed their shares."
Fonterra Edendale has been recognised with the Mars Dairy Supplier Quality Award for the top performing supplier sites in the global food company's dairy supply chain.
Sheep milk processor Maui Milk has achieved grass-fed certification of milk supply against the AsureQuality Grass-Fed Scheme.
OPINION: What goes up must come down. So, global dairy prices retreating from lofty heights in recent months wouldn’t come as a surprise to many farmers.
Fonterra directors and councillors are in for a pay rise next month.
Federated Farmers says it is cautiously welcoming signals from the Government that a major shake-up of local government is on its way.
Ashburton cropping and dairy farmer Matthew Paton has been elected to the board of rural services company, Ruralco.

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