Fonterra slashes forecast milk price, again
Fonterra has slashed another 50c off its milk price forecast as global milk flows shows no sign of easing.
Fonterra chair Peter McBride has been named the new chair of Australia's largest fresh fruit, vegetable and cut flowers trader.
McBride says taking the chairmanship of Sydney Markets Ltd is an honour.
"I've spent a significant amount of my governance career in agribusiness, particularly large exporters and cooperatives," he says. "I look forward to working alongside shareholders and my fellow directors to bring the transformative change that is required to ensure the continuation of Sydney Markets' legacy."
McBride succeeds John Pearson, who retired in 2023 after serving as chair of SML for almost 19 years.
SML says McBride joins the company with "extensive leadership experience".
As well as chair of Fonterra, he is also a director of Sequal Lumber Ltd, a member of the New Zealand China Council and the Zespri Global Supply Advisory Board.
His previous governance roles include being a director and then chairman of Zespri International - the world's largest marketer of kiwifruit and a director of the New Zealand International Business Forum.
SML says McBride's proven track record of delivering shareholder value and international agribusiness experience make him an ideal leader for its next phase of growth.
SML is a "one-stop-shop" with produce, packaging, exporters, providores, food processors, warehouses, unloading services, cafés and agricultural supplies all on site.
SML's three businesses, Sydney Produce Market, Sydney Flower Market and Sydney Growers Market, comprise more than 700 businesses that sell fresh fruit, vegetables and cut flowers supplied by over 20,000 local and interstate growers.
Sydney Produce Market is the largest fresh fruit and vegetable wholesale market in Australia and one of the largest in the world, catering to professional buyers from supermarkets, restaurants, greengrocers, exporters and food processors.
Legal controls on the movement of fruits and vegetables are now in place in Auckland’s Mt Roskill suburb, says Biosecurity New Zealand Commissioner North Mike Inglis.
Arable growers worried that some weeds in their crops may have developed herbicide resistance can now get the suspected plants tested for free.
Fruit growers and exporters are worried following the discovery of a male Queensland fruit fly in Auckland this week.
Dairy prices have jumped in the overnight Global Dairy Trade (GDT) auction, breaking a five-month negative streak.
Alliance Group chief executive Willie Wiese is leaving the company after three years in the role.
A booklet produced in 2025 by the Rotoiti 15 trust, Department of Conservation and Scion – now part of the Bioeconomy Science Institute – aims to help people identify insect pests and diseases.