Fonterra opens organic milk supply to South Island dairy farmers
South Island dairy farmers will soon be able to supply organic milk to Fonterra.
Late last year saw a lifeline thrown to plus-sized tractor manufacturer Buhler Industries, via its acquisition by Turkish business ASKO Holding.
Başak Traktör, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of ASKO Holding, completed the previously announced acquisition of Buhler, which in turn is owned by Combine Factory Rostselmash Ltd – best known for building combine harvesters.
In addition, Başak Traktör acquired all the outstanding debt of Buhler Industries that was owed to parent company Rostselmash. The aggregate cash purchase price paid by ASKO Holding was CAD$60.5 million. The transaction, made up of CAD$28.2 million for the company shares, around $4 million in transaction costs and the remainder in settlement of the debt, with delivery of 96.7% of the Buhler company shares.
Best known for its Versatile and Farm King brands, since the company started operating around 50 years ago, Versatile has the claim of being the first North American manufacturer to mass produce and market articulated four-wheel drive tractors.
Its plant on Clarence Avenue in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada has built over 100,000 tractors. Today’s line-up includes articulating fourwheel drive tractors from 405 to 620hp, tracked units from 530 to 620hp and fixed-frame front-wheel assist tractor models from 175 to 365hp.
A complete line of tillage equipment is complemented by Farm King, whose products include grain augers, mowers, bale carriers, snowblowers and compact implements.
Global trade has been thrown into another bout of uncertainty following the overnight ruling by US Supreme Court, striking down President Donald Trump's decision to impose additional tariffs on trading partners.
Controls on the movement of fruit and vegetables in the Auckland suburb of Mt Roskill have been lifted.
Fonterra farmer shareholders and unit holders are in line for another payment in April.
Farmers are being encouraged to take a closer look at the refrigerants running inside their on-farm systems, as international and domestic pressure continues to build on high global warming potential (GWP) 400-series refrigerants.
As expected, Fonterra has lifted its 2025-26 forecast farmgate milk price mid-point to $9.50/kgMS.
Bovonic says a return on investment study has found its automated mastitis detection technology, QuadSense, is delivering financial, labour, and animal-health benefits on New Zealand dairy farms worth an estimated $29,547 per season.

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