Fonterra Whareroa sets cheese record, wins top award
Fonterra Whareroa wrapped up a successful season with a record-breaking cheese production volume and several gongs at the co-op's annual Best Site Cup awards.
Fonterra says it’s keeping a close eye on the coronavirus outbreak in China, the co-op’s key export market.
While Fonterra’s operations haven’t been impacted, the co-op is wary.
A spokesperson says if there was a sustained drop in consumption in China, like fewer people eating in restaurants, then that could have an impact on sales.
“We’ll be watching GDT results and our Foodservice business over the coming month to get an indication,” she says.
Chinese officials have confirmed over 7,700 cases of the mysterious illness as foreign governments, including New Zealand, are airlifting their citizens out of Wuhan, the outbreak’s epicenter.
Some parts of China including Wuhan have movement restrictions in place.
China is Fonterra’s key market: it has a $4billion revenue business there and now accounted for 40% of dairy imports into mainland China.
The co-op also operates farming hubs in China, milking over 30,000 cows.
Around 11% of all dairy consumption in China comes from Fonterra. The co-op has 1700 employees in Greater China.
Fonterra says it has extended the Chinese New Year holiday for its employees, in line with the Chinese government’s decision.
“We have also tracked and contacted all employees who have been travelling over the New Year period and they are safe and well.
“As a precaution, we have restricted work-related travel to and from China and we’re asking employees who have recently returned from China to self-isolate for a period of 14 days.”
Newly elected Federated Farmers meat and wool group chair Richard Dawkins says he will continue the great work done his predecessor Toby Williams.
Hosted by ginger dynamo Te Radar, the Fieldays Innovation Award Winners Event put the spotlight on the agricultural industry's most promising ideas.
According to DairyNZ's latest Econ Tracker update, there has been a rise in the forecast breakeven milk price for the 2025/26 season.
Despite the rain and a liberal coating of mud, engines roared, and the 50th Fieldays Tractor Pull Competition drew crowds of spectators across the four days of the annual event.
Nationwide rural wellbeing programme, Farmstrong recently celebrated its tenth birthday at Fieldays with an event attended by ambassador Sam Whitelock, Farmers Mutual Group (FMG), Farmstrong partners, and government Ministers.
Six industry organisations, including DairyNZ and the Dairy Companies Association (DCANZ) have signed an agreement with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to prepare the country for a potential foot and mouth outbreak.
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