"Our" business?
OPINION: One particular bone the Hound has been gnawing on for years now is how the chattering classes want it both ways when it comes to the success of NZ's dairy industry.
Fonterra chief executive Theo Spierings says the co-op must "stay the course" despite market uncertainty.
Speaking at the co-op's annual meeting in Waitoa today, Spierings says the recent political developments in Europe, including the shooting down of a Russian plane overnight by Turkey, is further compounding the markets.
But he says Fonterra needs to stay the course and stay focussed on strategy.
"We look at things we are doing well and do them faster; things we are not doing well, we need to improve on," he says.
"Because these are the things we can control; we can't control the other things happening around the world."
Spierings also wants Fonterra to focus on opportunities to grow the business.
He alluded to a Chinese saying that when winds of change are blowing, some build walls while others build windows.
"I am in the camp that builds windows."
Spierings says Fonterra cannot control what's happening around the world.
"We can complain and moan but we will be wasting our energy," he says.
"We have to look at things which we can control; stay on course, stay on the strategy and keep costs under control."
He says Fonterra must continue to invest for the future.
"In the last few difficult years we have invested strongly." he says.
According to the most recent Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey, farmer confidence has inched higher, reaching its second highest reading in the last decade.
From 1 October, new livestock movement restrictions will be introduced in parts of Central Otago dealing with infected possums spreading bovine TB to livestock.
Phoebe Scherer, a technical manager from the Bay of Plenty, has won the 2025 Young Grower of the Year national title.
The Fencing Contractors Association of New Zealand (FCANZ) celebrated the best of the best at the 2025 Fencing Industry Awards, providing the opportunity to honour both rising talent and industry stalwarts.
Award-winning boutique cheese company, Cranky Goat Ltd has gone into voluntary liquidation.
As an independent review of the National Pest Management Plan for TB finds the goal of complete eradication by 2055 is still valide, feedback is being sought on how to finish the job.
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