Medals galore for Fonterra cheeses
Fonterra cheeses are continuing their golden run at the annual New Zealand Cheese Awards.
Fonterra's plan to use probiotics to reduce cow methane emissions is moving to on-farm trials.
The Kobucha project is shifting from the Fonterra Research & Development Centre (FDRC) to the farm.
Kowbucha are potential methane-busting probiotics from the co-op's dairy culture collection stored at FDRC.
Fonterra head of strategy and innovation, Mark Piper, says the project is about making the most of the co-op's people skills and dairy expertise to unlock the potential of these cultures to help ensure New Zealand stays as a leader in sustainable food production.
"The cultures have been selected over decades for their properties in producing different varieties of cheese, yoghurts, sour creams, and for use as health promoting probiotics," Piper exclaims.
"Following analysis of thousands of strains from the collection, specific strains have been identified as those that could potentially reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) production naturally from inside the cow."
Analysis by Dunedin-based Techion New Zealand shows the cost of undetected drench resistance in sheep has exploded to an estimated $98 million a year.
Shipping disruption caused by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea has so far not impacted fertiliser prices or supply on farm.
The opportunity to spend more time on farm while providing a dedicated service for shareholders attracted new environmental manager Ben Howden to work for Waimakariri Irrigation Limited (WIL).
Federated Farmers claims that the Otago Regional Council is charging ahead unnecessarily with piling more regulation on rural communities.
Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.
OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.