Milk Powder Prices Prop Up Farmgate Milk Price
Milk powder prices are keeping farmgate prices up, helping processors offset the dip in milk fat prices.
OPINION: This old mutt suggests that Fonterra farmers may well have been a little too distracted by a high payout this year to see - or even notice- the exploding salary at the co-op.
According to excellent analysis recently done by BusinessDesk's Jenny Ruth, the number of Fonterra executives earning over $500k a year fell by 12 in the last year to 96.
However, this followed a 35.7% increase in the same salary bracket a year earlier.
Meanwhile, during the past year 1,052 more Fonterra employees are now 'earning' $100k or more a year - taking the total to 8,440 people.
Ruth is scathing about this jump in the salary bill saying: "The Fonterra gravy train keeps chugging along as its farmers, who are supposed to own the joint, appear oblivious to how much of the cream they produce is being hijacked by the executives". Ouch!
Most dairy regions around the country have had a pretty good season so far says Tracy Brown.
Rural leader Mark Hooper has been appointed as an independent director to the NZPork board, bringing extensive farming, governance and advocacy experience to the role.
Opportunity says its land value tax (LVT) is unlikely to force farmers into a position where asset sales or increased debt are required.
Milk powder prices are keeping farmgate prices up, helping processors offset the dip in milk fat prices.
Climate, nature and animal wellbeing make up Fonterra's refreshed sustainability roadmap released last week.
The Government is introducing a new nationwide rural recycling scheme that will significantly increase the recovery of farm plastics from March next year, Minister for the Environment Nicola Grigg announced today.

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