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US$27 billion committed to tackle global malnutrition and hunger

45 low- and middle-income countries led with strong policy and financial commitments. Tokyo: Government and private sector donors have pledged more than US$27billion at the Tokyo Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit this week to address the global malnutrition and hunger crisis. Represented by five Heads of State and Government, 45 countries with high burdens of malnutrition and a dozen donors delivered renewed policy and financial commitments to end malnutrition. These commitments demonstrate country leadership and prioritisation of nutrition at a crucial time, as fiscal resources are constrained and malnutrition rates are on the rise due to the continuing global Covid-19 pandemic. “More than 140 million children suffer from stunting, and undernutrition is considered as an underlying cause of nearly half of deaths of children under five years old. Moreover, Covid-19 cast a significant impact on nutrition. The pandemic will likely cause 13.6 million more children to suffer from wasting,” said Japan’s Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida. “Let me recall our Sustainable Development Goal to end hunger, achieve food security and improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture by 2030. Now is the time for us to take action. No one should be left behind.” At the event, Japan committed over US$2.8 billion to provide nutrition-related assistance globally. Among other priorities, this investment will contribute to the achievement of nutrition in Universal Health Coverage and efforts to create more sustainable and nutritious food systems. In addition to the donor’s pledge, countries with high burdens of malnutrition led the way at the Summit, delivering pledges towards increased domestic programming, as well as promising stronger policies and programs to reduce malnutrition rates. For example, Bangladesh, represented by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, committed to cut anemia rates by one-third, stunting among children by one-fifth, and wasting among children by one-quarter within the next five years. The Government of Indonesia committed to fight malnutrition, […]

Planning key to combat higher costs to produce milk

Strong financial management, grazing management and people management skills will help dairy farmers buffer rising input costs and produce milk more efficiently. That’s the message from DairyNZ chief executive Dr Tim Mackle who says despite a high milk price, high-cost pressures are expected to continue for at least the next couple of years. Statistics New Zealand released its latest farm expense price index last month which showed large inflation costs for farmers over the past two years. Four key farming costs have experienced inflation of more than 10 per cent between 2019 and 2021, including fertiliser with a 15.9 per cent increase; cultivation, harvesting and animal feed with an 18.9 per cent increase; electricity with a 21 per cent increase; and stock grazing costs which are 36.9 per cent higher this year than they were in 2019. “The current economic climate is unique and reflects a combination of forces that seldom come together,” says Dr Mackle. “International demand for food, especially dairy products, remains strong, but poor production and high input prices worldwide have limited supply. This means world food prices are currently around a third higher than the same time last year.” DairyNZ principal economist Dr Graeme Doole says shipping prices, on average, are around 600 per cent higher than two years ago due to port delays and closures related to COVID-19, and the prices of ocean freight out of Asia have grown substantially, increasing by 15 times between March and August this year. Urea prices alone have jumped by 67 per cent since August 2020 due to greater global demand for nitrogen. FAO figures suggest nitrogen use has only increased by 1.33 per cent since 2020, but higher seasonal demand, coupled with international supply issues, have pushed up urea prices globally. “In New Zealand, China is our largest […]

Top 10 ways Government could back our dairy farmers

DairyNZ is calling on the Government to partner with dairy farmers to achieve better outcomes, invest more in research and development, and stop overloading farmers with too many regulations. Ten recommendations for Government have been drawn from DairyNZ’s latest ‘View from the Cowshed’ survey of 425 dairy farmers. DairyNZ chief executive Dr Tim Mackle says it’s critical the Government work more closely with farmers to support investment in research and development, so farmers can continue working to reduce their environmental footprint, while maintaining profitability. “This year’s survey indicates farmers are making on-farm changes to improve their environmental management and their workplaces, but are feeling under pressure from constant regulatory changes,” said Dr Mackle. “We want to see more focus on ensuring regulations are fair, practical and don’t overburden farmers with too many different requirements. “Dairy is New Zealand’s leading export sector, employs 50,000 Kiwis and is forecast to contribute over $40 billion to our economy this year, so it’s important for our country’s success that farmers are supported to keep contributing to New Zealand.” 57 percent of farmers surveyed said changing Government regulations are causing them stress, with 55 percent also saying perception of dairy farmers by the public and in media was also keeping them up at night. A further 67 percent of farmers feel there isn’t enough support for farmers dealing with mental health issues. Positively, the survey revealed 70 percent of farmers surveyed have a Farm Environment Plan – a key tool farmers use to identify and manage environmental risks through adopting good farming practices. “Dairy farmers are operating in a complex environment and managing a lot of challenges. Around half previously reported being short-staffed and 45 percent don’t have the internet service they need to efficiently run farm operations,” says Dr Mackle. In the past two years, the Government has proposed changes to policy on freshwater management, wintering, climate change, biodiversity and vehicle taxes which would all significantly impact on farmers. These issues may have contributed to 32 percent of farmers saying they feel less positive about farming than 12 months ago – despite strong milk prices. Only 17 percent reported they felt more positive. Matamata dairy farmer Sam Owen says there isn’t one cause of mental health issues in rural […]

Stainless steel pipes in a food factory. Stainless pipe fittings.

HRS meets tight spec for dairy heat exchanger

HRS Heat Exchanges has met a challenging brief to supply a client in Australia with a compact yet efficient heat exchanger to process viscous dairy products. Burra Foods is a leading Australian dairy ingredient processor, producing value-added dairy products for the global food manufacturing market. An upgrade at their processing plant in Korumburra in the State of Victoria necessitated the use of a heat exchanger to warm frozen milk products, but existing building and infrastructure meant that the available space was severely limited. The line in question produces skimmed milk concentrate and cream from frozen concentrates which are then thermalised and cooled to ambient processing temperatures. The required heat exchangers needed to raise the temperature of the product from -5°C to 18°C prior to the final heater, which includes melting the frozen product. After this, the product is then cooled from 10°C to 5°C in the final cooler. Due to the consistency of the skimmed milk concentrate and cream the product is quite viscous, so the heat exchanger needed to resist fouling and provide good heat transfer performance, while also integrating with the Plate Heat Exchangers used in the process in a very limited footprint. The solution was an HRS MI Series corrugated tube heat exchanger which provided the necessary heating and cooling requirements in the tight space available and also resulting in a small pressure drop, another important consideration for this installation. Following an initial enquiry at the end of 2019, the unit was installed in mid-2020, and has exceeded performance expectations since final commissioning, with a production capacity of 5,000 kg of product per hour. Stuart Shattock, Process Engineering Manager at Burra Foods comments: “Other suppliers couldn’t match HRS’s offering in terms of tubular heat exchangers and the level of detail provided. Once we placed the order, there […]

Nelson manufacturer wins Supplier of the Year award for 3rd Year Running

A Nelson-based contract manufacturer for products made from high-quality natural ingredients has for the third year running won the Supplier of the Year Award for New Zealand’s natural health products industry. Industry body Natural Health Products NZ recently announced Alaron Products as the 2021 winner. The award, which was decided by popular vote among Natural Health Products NZ’s members, recognises a supplier that has made a significant contribution to businesses within the sector. Natural Health Products NZ’s General Manager Kerry Warn says Alaron Products has developed an excellent reputation during nearly 30 years of custom manufacturing nutraceutical products. “Alaron has a high standard for quality control, and continuously strives for success and supports clients to deliver premium quality products to worldwide consumers. They have developed a reputation for providing exemplary customer service and high-quality products. “Alaron’s ongoing success in our Supplier of the Year this event shows the extent to which they get it right on every level.” Alaron’s General Manager Business Development Claire Quin says the third consecutive win is a very proud moment for the company. “Everything we do is with our customers in mind and the fact that our customers recognise our team’s efforts is truly rewarding. “Our team is focused on meeting customers’ needs and it takes a big effort from all aspects of our supply chain to make that happen.”

Environmental gains as farmers reduce nitrogen loss

Dairy farmers in Canterbury’s Selwyn catchment are actively reducing their footprint, with data indicating many have reduced nitrogen loss by 30 percent. “Selwyn farmers have been working hard to achieve this milestone, taking steps on their farms to look after the environment,” says DairyNZ solutions and development lead advisor Virginia Serra. “Preliminary information shows 70 percent of Selwyn farmers have met their 30 percent nitrogen loss reduction target set by Environment Canterbury. “Another 20 percent are well on track to achieving it and are receiving support to get there. The remaining farmers will be supported this season to make progress.” DairyNZ collated the data from dairy companies and irrigation companies, plus a DairyNZ survey. Dairy farmers are using Farm Environment Plans to identify actions to reduce footprint, including improving water quality. Nitrogen is one of several contributors to water quality, with phosphorus, sediment and E. coli also playing a vital role and covered by the farm plans. “Reducing nitrogen loss over time helps improve water quality and helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” says Mrs Serra. “Achieving these results is not easy and farmers are working hard to deliver. They are doing their best to keep up with regulations, across the spectrum of farming.” DairyNZ has been working with farmers from Selwyn and Hinds for three years through the Meeting a Sustainable Future project, supporting them to reduce nitrogen loss. This includes trialling options with 40 partner farms and sharing knowledge with local farmers. A recent DairyNZ survey showed all Selwyn and Hinds farmers surveyed are adapting practices to reduce nitrogen loss. This includes improving irrigation efficiency and effluent management, reducing fertiliser use, using the grazing herb plantain (which reduces nitrogen loss) and some are changing their stocking rate. Most Selwyn dairy farmers are required by current Environment Canterbury rules to […]

FarmIQ has new kill sheet data integration with ANZCO Foods

A recent API development at FarmIQ has opened the door for automated data sharing with meat processors throughout New Zealand. ANZCO Foods now joins Silver Fern Farms in integrating their kill sheet data with FarmIQ. The days of having to print kill sheets and manually enter data into the likes of Excel can be a thing of the past as a FarmIQ user. ANZCO’s kill sheet data will automatically flow through into the platform enabling farmers to make more accurate and timely decisions by having access to their kill sheets in an easy-to-read report and exportable format. Whether you’re looking to improve quality to achieve a premium or purely increase carcass yield; FarmIQ’s integration with ANZCO puts you on the front foot. Key benefits include: Mob Performance – understand what factors (i.e. animal breed, feed type, treatments, stocking rates) influence carcass characteristics so you can make the most profitable decisions for your business. Seasonal Performance – understand how carcass characteristics change across and between seasons so you can make the most profitable decisions for your business. Benchmarking – measuring performance against others in the region or around the country. Supplier Performance – the data will help support finishers in purchasing animals from those suppliers who produce better performing animals. EID Finishing – the data will allow farmers to utilise reporting functionality in FarmIQ to compare the performance of individual animals pre and post slaughter. Available on Performance and Enterprise packs only.

AIMI Survey: Cereal areas and volumes: October 10, 2021

Key Points at 10 October 2021 For the 2020/2021 season, cereal grain production (wheat, barley and oats) in NZ totaled an estimated 761,300 tonnes (down 7% on last year). Maize grain production was estimated at 214,900 tonnes. Total production of grain in NZ was therefore estimated to be 976,200 tonnes. Unsold stocks of cereal grain, summed over all six crops, are estimated to have reduced by 62% between 1 July 2021 and 10 October 2021. When compared to the same time last year, unsold stocks of cereal grain, summed over all six crops, are estimated to be 54% lower, mainly because of much lower unsold stocks of feed wheat and feed barley. As at 10 October 2021, unsold stocks of feed wheat and feed barley were estimated at 18,300 tonnes (down 37,200 tonnes on last year) and 19,300 tonnes (down 17,900 tonnes), respectively. On-farm storage of sold grain is down 20% (down 43,900 tonnes) on this time last year. Total on-farm storage, including both sold and unsold grain, summed over all six crops, is down 31% (down 101,200 tonnes) compared to the same time last year. The total area sown or intended to be sown in cereals is estimated to be 98,300 hectares, which is up 7% (up 6,600 ha) on last season. Roughly 87% of this total area had been sown, with 13% still left to sow. Crops are generally growing well, despite a slow start for spring crops as a result of cold and wet weather across NZ. Read full report here

DairyNZ acknowledges passing of John Luxton

DairyNZ chairman Jim van der Poel and chief executive Dr Tim Mackle have today expressed their sadness at the passing of former DairyNZ chairman, the Hon John Luxton. Hon John Luxton stepped down from the role of chairman in November 2015 after more than a decade of service to DairyNZ, and a lifetime of service to the dairy industry. Mr van der Poel and Dr Mackle say he will be remembered for his longstanding, unfaltering contribution to the rural sector, particularly dairy. “John has had a major role in the success of New Zealand’s dairy industry. John has always demonstrated strong leadership and longstanding commitment to the sector,” says Mr van der Poel. “John was instrumental in a number of significant policy and legislative changes in New Zealand, including the foundation policy work that led to the formation of Fonterra and the deregulation of producer boards. “One of his major achievements was shaping the development of DairyNZ – the first industry-good body of its kind and the largest in Australasia.” Hon John Luxton played a major role in helping guide the dairy industry through a significant period of change, which would soon become New Zealand’s number one export industry. He was instrumental in supporting a successful, viable, competitive dairy industry in New Zealand, with the sector employing 42,240 people and contributing $13.2 billion to New Zealand’s export revenue during his time as chair of DairyNZ. Dr Mackle says he will remember Mr Luxton for always being very supportive and being a statesman and diplomat who could bring people together. “John was an influential leader who unified the dairy sector from dairy companies through to local and central government departments,” he says. “He led by values, had enormous integrity, and always put the best interests of those in the rural sector […]

Marketing solution enables Kiwi wineries to sell to international consumers

From September, Wine Collective Direct, a global marketplace where New Zealand wine producers have their own e-cellar door, is adding a Digital Success Programme to its offering. The Wine Collective Direct (WCD) team know that international digital wine marketing can be daunting and so has created a collaborative digital marketing solution to help local winegrowers better market their craft wine to the world. “We’re absolutely thrilled to see producers experiencing high-value direct sales on the platform since launching in May this year. It’s evident that the producers who are making early sales (averaging $606.59 NZD per case and $52.57 per bottle) are proactively promoting their international e-cellar doors across their own digital channels,” says Ryann Calder, Manager of Producer Growth at Wine Collective Direct. “However, it’s highlighted to us that a large majority of wineries find driving international sales and promotions online a challenge.” The Digital Success Programme (DSP) solves the problem of many local wine producers not having the tools, time, or financial resources to reach international consumers via effective digital marketing methods. In 2019, NZ Winegrowers reported that 776, 599 international wine tourists visited New Zealand and spent $3.26 billion. It’s no secret that wine tourism is the lifeblood of many local vineyards, but with borders closed there are no international visitors at the cellar door. Wine Collective Direct recognises that digital promotion online is the most effective means of connecting with international customers in this current climate. “Different to the fast-moving commodity wine category, the craft wine category is characterised by consumers actively looking to connect at a personal level with the actual producer. Despite the decline in international tourists, overseas consumers haven’t lost their passion to discover the premium wines of Aotearoa,” says Calder. The Digital Success Programme harnesses the aggregate power of 100,000+ detailed data […]

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