Michelle Pye elected to Fonterra board
Canterbury farmer Michelle Pye has been elected to Fonterra’s board for a three-year term.
Fonterra’s opening forecast milk price range for the 2022-23 season is set at $8.25 - $9.75/kgMS, with a midpoint of $9/kgMS.
Chief executive Miles Hurrell says the strong opening forecast reflects continued demand for dairy coupled with constrained global supply.
“The long-term outlook for dairy remains positive, despite recent geopolitical and COVID-19 related events impacting global demand in the short-term,” he says.
On the supply side, growth from key milk producing regions is expected to remain constrained as high feed, fertiliser and energy costs continue to impact production volumes.
“These demand and supply dynamics are expected to support dairy prices in the medium to long-term,” says Hurrell.
“However, we are operating in an increasingly volatile global environment and are managing a wider range of risks than usual.
“This includes the potential for further impacts from COVID-19, financial markets and foreign exchange volatility, global inflationary pressures, a tightening labour market, increasing interest rates, geopolitical events, as well as the possible impact on demand from higher dairy prices.
“This is why our 2022/23 forecast range is so wide at this point in the season.”
For the 2021-22 season, which ends on May 31, Fonterra has maintained its Farmgate Milk Price range of $9.10 - $9.50/kgMS.
Virtual fencing and herding systems supplier, Halter is welcoming a decision by the Victorian Government to allow farmers in the state to use the technology.
DairyNZ’s latest Econ Tracker update shows most farms will still finish the season in a positive position, although the gap has narrowed compared with early season expectations.
New Zealand’s national lamb crop for the 2025–26 season is estimated at 19.66 million head, a lift of one percent (or 188,000 more lambs) on last season, according to Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s (B+LNZ) latest Lamb Crop report.
Farmers appear to be cautiously welcoming the Government’s plan to reform local government, according to Ag First chief executive, James Allen.
The Fonterra divestment capital return should provide “a tailwind to GDP growth” next year, according to a new ANZ NZ report, but it’s not “manna from heaven” for the economy.
Fonterra's Eltham site in Taranaki is stepping up its global impact with an upgrade to its processed cheese production lines, boosting capacity to meet growing international demand.

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