Fonterra Whareroa sets cheese record, wins top award
Fonterra Whareroa wrapped up a successful season with a record-breaking cheese production volume and several gongs at the co-op's annual Best Site Cup awards.
Waikato dairy processor Tatua has announced a final payout of $7.50/kgMS for 2011-12, easily beating Fonterra.
The co-op has also retained 54c/kgMS to strengthen its balance sheet. Fonterra last week announced a final payout of $6.40/kgMS, made up of a milk price of $6.08/kgMS and a dividend payout of 32c/share. Fonterra retained 10c/share from its shareholders.
Tatua chairman Steve Allen says the 2011-12 season has been another positive one for it and its 109 suppliers.
"Demand for our products has remained firm throughout the year and our product mix returns were favourable," he says.
Milk supply from Tatua Suppliers was 13.2 million kilograms of milksolids, an increase of 9.5% from the previous year. The company's gearing ratio (of debt divided by debt plus equity) increased in line with expectations to 34%.
However, the co-op says foreign exchange management continues to be a challenge with the New Zealand dollar remaining elevated throughout the year.
"Our foreign exchange hedging policies have mitigated the impact of this to a considerable extent," he says.
A technical lab manager for Apata, Phoebe Scherer, has won the Bay of Plenty 2025 Young Grower regional title.
Following heavy rain which caused flooding in parts of Nelson-Tasman and sewerage overflows in Marlborough, the Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman Scheme (IFSO Scheme) is urging homeowners and tenants to be cautious when cleaning up and to take the right steps to support claims.
Newly elected Federated Farmers meat and wool group chair Richard Dawkins says he will continue the great work done his predecessor Toby Williams.
Hosted by ginger dynamo Te Radar, the Fieldays Innovation Award Winners Event put the spotlight on the agricultural industry's most promising ideas.
According to DairyNZ's latest Econ Tracker update, there has been a rise in the forecast breakeven milk price for the 2025/26 season.
Despite the rain and a liberal coating of mud, engines roared, and the 50th Fieldays Tractor Pull Competition drew crowds of spectators across the four days of the annual event.
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