A DRAFT plan to allow North America to cope with an outbreak of, say, foot-and-mouth disease, without shutting down the continent’s cattle trade has won US backing from the National Milk Producers Federation.

PRICES LEAPT at today's South Island wool sale driven by market shortage and strong demand, says New Zealand Wool Services International.

FONTERRA HAS reduced its forecast farmgate milk price for the 2014/15 season from $7 to $6/kgMS and announced an estimated dividend range of 20-25 cents per share

ALLIANCE GROUP chief executive Grant Cuff will be stepping down in December, following the company's annual meeting.

IN A MARKETING success for Zespri, more than 1000 people took part in an Zespri 'Juicy Water Fight' in Shanghai to celebrate the launch of Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit in China this season.

THE a2 Milk Company (a2MC) has achieved approval from regulatory agencies in China to resume shipments of its a2 Platinum infant formula.

THE NORTH Island wool auction generally remained firm to only slightly easier despite local and overseas expectations of a much weaker market.

FONTERRA AND Abbott have formed a strategic alliance to develop a dairy farm hub in China.

INDEPENDENT PROCESSOR Tatua remains hopeful of global dairy prices bouncing back.

FONTERRA HAS entered into an exclusive partnership with UK-based Dairy Crest to market and sell two products for the fast growing global baby food market.