Top dairy CEO quits
Arguably one of the country's top dairy company's chief executives, Richard Wyeth has abruptly quit Chinese owned Westland Milk Products (WMP)
A bid by Irish dairy giant Ornua to prevent the sales of New Zealand-made Westgold Butter in the US was today (Thursday time in California) dismissed in the Californian District Court.
Ornua Foods & Another, owners of the Kerrygold butter brand filed court proceedings against Westland Milk Products, owners of the Westgold butter brand last month.
The Irish company claimed that the Westgold branding infringes its trade mark and packaging and sought orders preventing continued sales of Westgold butter in the US in the present packaging.
Westland Milk chief executive Richard Wyeth says the company is pleased “that the court has confirmed our right to continue with our planned sales plans for Westgold butter in the US”.
“We trust that this will resolve this matter as we pursue our sales objectives for our products, competing fairly in the local and global markets.”
Kerrygold, claimed "wilful trademark infringement" according to legal documents filed in the US district court in northern California.
The lawsuit was aimed at stopping Westland from advertising, marketing, distributing or selling butter products using a trademark and trade dress "that are confusingly similar to Ornua's federally registered Kerrygold trademarks and trade dress", the preliminary statement said.
Westland Milk said that Westgold's distinctive packaging is linked to its rich heritage on the West Coast of New Zealand and the taste of its traditionally churned, grass-fed butter is rapidly gaining recognition around the world.
The DairyNZ board and management are currently trying to determine whether, and to what degree, their farmer levy payers will support any increase in their levy contributions.
Milk production is up nationally, despite drought conditions beginning to bite in some districts, according to the latest update from Fonterra.
Dry conditions are widespread but worse in some places, with rain and drought affecting farms just a few kilometres away.
The Government's plan to merge the seven crown institutes presents exciting possibilities for plant technology company Grasslanz Technology, says chief executive Megan Skiffington.
Agribusiness leader Rob Hewett is the new chair of listed carpet maker Bremworth.
The divestment process for Fonterra's global consumer business is gaining momentum, with the co-op meeting global fund managers this week on a potential listing of the co-operative's newly formed Mainland Group.
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