Yili opens 'Dairy Silicon Valley'
Chinese dairy giant Yili has launched a multi-billion dollar industrial park in Hohhot, China.
It was 25 years ago that Milfos International was formed and this week the company will celebrate the milestone with an Australasian dealer conference followed by an evening celebration with service partners, suppliers and business people from around New Zealand.
Philip and Nicola Locke started the business in 1987 and today it is jointly owned with Jamie Mikkelson and Rick Staheli. The business started out manufacturing parts for milking systems and now exports to more than 20 countries around the globe. Today the business offers a wide range of high tech milking solutions for farmers milking cows, sheep and goats. The business has company owned entities in Australia, the UK and Ireland.
The business, located in Hamilton and employing over 120 staff, continues to experience significant growth. In 2011 the company won the Gallagher Waikato Business of the Year award for large enterprises employing over 50 staff.
Milfos Managing Director Jamie Mikkelson says, "We are very excited about reaching this milestone and celebrating it with our partners. It is a time to reflect on our short history, celebrate our successes and plot the way forward as a group. We are incredibly proud of our achievements and the hard work that our team puts in every day serving our customers".
One of New Zealand’s longest-running pasture growth monitoring projects will continue, even as its long-time champion steps away after more than five decades of involvement.
The Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsmen Scheme (IFSO Scheme) is advising consumers to prepare for delays as insurers respond to a high volume of claims following this week's severe weather.
Additional reductions to costs for forest owners in the Emissions Trading Scheme Registry (ETS) have been announced by the Government.
Animal welfare is of paramount importance to New Zealand's dairy industry, with consumers increasingly interested in how food is produced, not just the quality of the final product.
Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay is encouraging farmers and growers to stay up to date with weather warnings and seek support should they need it.
The closure of SH2 Waioweka Gorge could result in significant delays and additional costs for freight customers around the Upper North Island, says Transporting New Zealand.

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