IT IS great to see Trade Minister Tim Groser and DCANZ executive director Kimberly Crewther taking a positive stance on the news that Australia and China have signed a free trade agreement.

FEDERATED FARMERS Dairy chairman Andrew Hoggard has described the lowest auction in five years as "a blow to the industry" as hopes of a lift or at least continued plateau in prices were dashed.

FONTERRA HOPES to be collecting 30 billion litres of milk worldwide by 2025, says chief executive Theo Spierings.

KIWIFRUIT’S ACHIEVEMENTS to date are not enough to sustain a competitive advantage and change is needed, says Zespri’s chief executive Lain Jager.

A NEW infant formula plant in South Auckland is on track to start production in February next year.

SYNTHETIC FOOD, a trend away from milk products that need to be reconstituted, food police and the rapidly changing digital age. These are some of the issues canvassed in KPMG’s newly released Agribusiness Agenda ‘Exploring Our Global Future’.

WAIKATO MILK processor Tatua Dairy Co-op rounded off its centenary year celebrations with a gala dinner this month in Hamilton.

THE DAIRY Companies Association of New Zealand (DCANZ) the NZ-Korea FTA agreement will result in elimination of tariffs on the vast majority of dairy tariff lines over reasonable periods.

A STEADY stream of containers loaded with UHT milk are now leaving the Miraka dairy factory near Taupo heading for the China market.

AN AGRIBUSINESS academic says Fonterra’s 2013-14 payout was unfair to sharemilkers and unshared suppliers as it ‘dipped’ the milk price to fund dividend-driving assets such Waitoa’s UHT plant and more milk hubs in China.