Smart Manufacturing

Michael and Susie Woodward nz food man site

Synlait applauds high performing dairy farmers

Synlait recognised high achievers in their milk supplier network at their annual conference in Christchurch for dairy farmers and partners on Thursday 28 June. Nine accolades were up for grabs at the 2018 Synlait Dairy Honours Awards. “We make a point of celebrating the significant achievements of an increasingly large number of high performing dairy farmers each year,” says John Penno, Synlait’s CEO and Managing Director. “Through our Lead With Pride™ programme, we encourage our dairy farmers to adopt best practice in milk quality, animal health and welfare, social responsibility and environmental sustainability. This results in high performing operations, which were evident in our 2018 finalists.” Michael and Susie Woodward accepting the ANZ 2017-2018 Supreme Lead with Pride Award. “The standard was extremely high and I would like to congratulate each of our winners, particularly Michael and Susie Woodward from Theland Purata Farm Group Ltd – Tapatoru Dairies, who took out the ANZ 2017-2018 Supreme Lead With Pride™ Award as well as the PwC 2017-2018 Excellence in Social Responsibility Award.” 2017-2018 DAIRY HONOURS AwardS Winners Milk Quality Awards This category recognises suppliers who consistently supply excellent quality milk. Zee Tags 2017-2018 Lowest Somatic Cell Count Award, Kyle Weaver of Deebury Pastoral Partnership Vodafone 2017-2018 Most Improved Milk Quality, Johan Joubert, Landcorp Pāmu – Waimakariri Farm IQ 2017-2018 Best Milk Quality (weighted by farm size) Award, Jackson Hann, Mundtville Farms Ltd Tru Test 2017-2018 Best Milk Quality Award, Ruurd and Rachel Lieuwes, Lieuwes Abbott Ltd Lead With Pride™ Awards (judged) This category is judged by an independent third party who focus on the way award finalists care for their animals, the environment in which they farm and for the people they employ. Deosan 2017-2018 Excellence in Animal Health and Welfare Award, Shaun Wilson, Craigmore Farming Balance 2017-2018 Excellence in […]

Robotics Plus signs global deal for robotic apple packers

Jamie Lunam and Dr. Alistair Scarfe. Deal highlights demand for agricultural automation technology; follows recent investment from Yamaha Motor Co. to accelerate company’s growth. Robotics Plus, a New Zealand agricultural robotics and automation company, has signed an agency and distribution agreement with GlobalPac Technologies which will see the company’s revolutionary robotic apple packers go global. The deal, which will initially target the US, Australian and New Zealand markets, is fuelling a period of accelerated growth for Robotics Plus as industry demand for its innovation grows. GlobalPac Technologies is a joint venture between United States company Van Doren Sales and New Zealand-owned Jenkins Group. Robotics Plus CEO Steve Saunders says between the two companies, Van Doren and Jenkins have a presence in almost every packhouse in New Zealand, Australia and the US. “We see enormous potential in our new relationship with GlobalPac Technologies. Naturally their global packhouse relationships offer exciting opportunities for us to expand distribution of our apple packers to markets beyond New Zealand, but more importantly, they share our vision for the future of packhouse automation. Together we aim to transform the global horticulture industry.” Jenkins General Manager, Jamie Lunam, says: “Apple packhouses already use automation extensively for sorting and grading, but the process of arranging apples in trays for export is still highly labour intensive. “Labour shortages are a major and growing concern in New Zealand and many other food producing countries. We see Robotics Plus and their packing technology as game-changing for the industry. It is a very exciting time to be involved in helping to affect this positive change.” Van Doren CEO, Brett Pittsinger says the global apple industry has been packing apples the same way for decades. “Labour shortages are now causing major headaches for packhouses in the United Sates. It’s exciting to see the […]

Synlait Palmerston North officially opened

In the picture: Palmerston North Mayor, Grant Smith, cutting the ribbon to open Synlait Palmerston North. Massey University Vice Chancellor, Prof Jan Thomas, stands to his right and Roger Schwarzenbach, Synlait’s GM of Technical and Innovation, is opposite. “We’re very excited to be opening Synlait Palmerston North, which is home to our new Research and Development Centre,” says John Penno, Managing Director and CEO. “We have some major opportunities in front of us. With the strong team and partnerships we’ve got in place to lead liquid innovation within our business, we won’t miss a beat,” he says. The Vice Chancellor of Massey University, Professor Jan Thomas, opened the facility and highlighted the important new relationship between Synlait and the university. “The establishment of Synlait’s new Research and Development Centre at Massey’s Manawatū campus is an excellent example of industry and the university collaborating closely to achieve real, tangible outcomes,” says Professor Thomas. “Strategic partnerships like these are vital if we are to start and grow new industries, create new jobs, and to remain competitive in the global marketplace. Massey University is New Zealand’s premier provider of food research and education, and at the forefront of pioneering such partnerships with the food industry.” she says. Synlait Palmerston North is a partnership with Massey University and FoodPilot, one of the New Zealand Food Innovation Network’s four hubs. The Palmerston North team will primarily concentrate on innovative dairy liquid product development, as well as supporting processes and technology. They will also play an important role in developing innovative export-orientated cream opportunities that leverage Synlait’s upcoming $125 million advanced liquid dairy packaging facility at Synlait Dunsandel. Synlait plans to double their investment over the next two years, having committed around $7 million to research and category development in the current financial year. They will be […]

Taupo dairy farmer recognised in Dairy Community Leadership awards

Taupo dairy farmer Kylie Leonard has been recognised for her community involvement by Dairy Women’s Network with the 2018 Dairy Community Leadership Award. The award celebrates the unsung heroes of rural communities and was presented at a gala dinner tonight during Dairy Women’s Network’s conference in Rotorua. The conference also marked the Network’s 20th year. Leonard milks 400 cows at Oruanui, Taupo, with her husband Rick and daughters Kate, Isla and Eloise. Her family has a long history of farming in the Central Plateau; her grandparents walked from Te Aroha, in Waikato, to Reporoa to establish their dairy farm in the 1950s. Originally training as a teacher, in 2011 Leonard and her husband entered into a farm equity partnership with her parents, where she continues to milk and rear calves while teaching children with learning disabilities part-time. Leonard says receiving the Dairy Community Leadership award is acknowledgement of her commitment to promoting the dairy farming lifestyle. “It’s an honour to receive the Dairy Community Leadership Award,” she says. “The dairy industry is in my heart and soul, and seeing others be involved and succeed is a really great feeling. “For me, connection is all about authenticity and inclusion – whether that’s sharing a positive story about the industry or putting my hand up to question something. I pride myself on being a positive role model to others.” Leonard regularly promotes and hosts visits to her farm with playcentres, kindergartens, primary schools, colleges and visitors. “Sharing a positive story and my love for our cows and our land is something I aim to do daily, whether that’s on social media, at school, at an event or socialising. I never let an opportunity to share go past. “Long-term I would love to encourage more people to enter our industry and help them […]

Boost for New Zealand beverage market

In the picture:Fonterra Farmers see first-hand the operations at the new plant. Two New Zealand companies have teamed up to install a state of the art technology at the Apollo plant in Whakatu, Hawke’s Bay, that will bring some of the best in fruit and dairy beverages to Kiwis’ across the country. The agreement between Fonterra Brands New Zealand and Apollo Foods, an innovative start-up company, will help both companies capitalise on the increasing global popularity for lifestyle beverages. Apollo’s new operation includes innovative beverage filling technology which allows a range of different containers to be produced on site and filled with a range of different products on the one production line. The technology at the plant provides market leading quality control and allows for a superior fresh taste experience over an extended shelf life. This provides opportunities for outlets to stock a greater range of products and in turn gives consumers more choice. Managing Director of Fonterra Brands New Zealand Leon Clement, said a global surge in demand for dairy and fruit beverages presents a fantastic opportunity for both companies. “As high-quality drinks play an increasingly large role in consumers’ diets around the world, New Zealand companies have a real opportunity to create value-adding initiatives across our primary industry sectors,” said Mr Clement. “By taking an innovative partnership approach to production with Apollo Foods, we have been able to open up new opportunities for future brands – and create even more value for our farmers.” The Apollo Foods state of the art facility will have the capacity to produce millions of litres of beverages each year. It will allow Fonterra Brands New Zealand and Apollo Foods to take the lead in their respective categories and benefit from new technology to supply consumer drinks to the growing market. Ross Beaton, […]

Promoting plant science in sustainable agriculture

SINGAPORE, Apr 22, 2016 – As the world prepares to recognise Earth Day, CropLife Asia took the opportunity to herald the contributions being made through plant science technology to sustainable agriculture in the region and around the globe. “Earth Day is a time to take stock and recommit ourselves to practices that ensure good stewardship of the environment around us,” said Dr. Siang Hee Tan, Executive Director of CropLife Asia. “As the number of people inhabiting our planet continues to grow, the challenges facing our farmers mount as well. We look to our farmers to grow more food with less land, water and resources – and with less impact on the environment. The innovations of plant science technology are helping make that possible and driving sustainable agriculture. But as the numbers tell us, there is much more work to be done.” “Along with our members in CropLife Asia, we remain steadfast in our commitment to farmers – not only to help them do more with less, but to be responsible stewards of the land,” added Tan. Estimates indicate that the world’s population is set to eclipse nine billion inhabitants by 2050. In Asia, an additional one billion more people are projected to call the region home in that period; while ASEAN alone will see an expected increase of 60 million more men, women and children living in the region within the next decade. With the population growing, so too is the demand for food. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, growers around the world will need to produce as much as 70% more food than today to meet the expected needs of our population in 2050. As farmers work to produce more food on existing farmland rather than cultivate wild habitats, the innovations of […]