Smart Manufacturing

Fonterra and Vitakey to enhance dairy’s contribution to health and wellness

Looking to a future where it is likely that many foods will be more valued for their specific health benefits, Fonterra and VitaKey Inc. has announced a transformative dairy science collaboration to further unlock the benefits of Fonterra’s probiotic strains. VitaKey specialises in precision delivery of nutrition – an emerging area of research that seeks to deliver the right nutrients, in the right amount, to the right part of the body at the right time. Co-founded by Dr. Robert Langer, the VitaKey delivery technology platform for nutrients is based on technology licensed from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and developed at the Langer Lab, the largest academic biomedical engineering lab in the world. Utilising VitaKey’s proprietary technology and customised solutions, Fonterra is looking to design dairy products that incorporate targeted and time-controlled release of specific dairy nutrients, starting with probiotics, in a way that locks in the freshness for longer and allows the nutrients to be more active and beneficial in the body. Judith Swales, CEO for Fonterra’s Asia Pacific region, says the collaboration is part of Fonterra’s long-term strategy and ambition to be a leader in dairy innovation and nutrition science. “Our Co-op has a long and proud heritage of dairy innovation, pioneering many world firsts and, increasingly, new solutions which aim to help people live healthier and longer lives. “Home to one of the largest dairy culture libraries in the world, our Research and Development Centre contains more than 40,000 strains. Two of these strains, LactoB 001 and BifidoB 019, address key health concerns such as digestive issues and immunity and are recognised as being in the top five global probiotics. “By partnering with VitaKey, we aim to ‘make nature better’ by combining the goodness of our New Zealand milk with […]

Honing management skills while working on the farm

Farmers can now improve their decision-making skills without having to stop milking – they can just put in some earbuds. Lincoln University Honorary Associate Professor Peter Nuthall’s audiobook “The Intuitive Farmer” is written in an innovative novel-style. A managerial ability researcher, he tells the fictional story of group of farmers meeting to improve their intuitive decision-making skills. It is based on actual data collected from hundreds of farmers. Each chapter addresses a different issue affecting farmers, such as risk management, benchmarking, budgeting, and planning, negotiation skills, active listening, and farm ownership. By the end of the novel, the listener will have absorbed important farm management principles and practices through the activities and findings of the group. Dr Nuthall said improved intuitive skill requires farmers to constantly and objectively self-critique their decisions so that slowly, the appropriate approach becomes second nature as part of their kit of intuitive tools. The book is described as the first of its kind to be applied to agricultural management practices, providing a dependable source for farmers, agricultural and farm management students, and people involved in agricultural industries. An Amazon review described “The Intuitive Farmer” as an innovative and useful resource for farmers. “Having the author appear as a character in the book is a nice bonus, as it gives the reader a rare chance to get an insider’s view on the personal and professional life of a researcher,” the reviewer wrote. His next book in the farm management series is called “The Decisive Farmer” and will be published before Christmas this year by the Commonwealth Bureau of Information (CABI). Listen to a sample of the audio book on the Google Play app here https://play.google.com/store/audiobooks/details/Peter_L_Nuthall_The_Intuitive_Farmer?id=AQAAAEA8AW1BQM

Fonterra completes reset, announces annual results and long-term growth plan out to 2030

Annual Results Summary Total pay-out for 2020/21 season: $7.74 per kgMS Final 2020/21 Farmgate Milk Price: $7.54 per kgMS 2020/21 dividend: 20 cents per share, comprised of 5 cent interim dividend and 15 cent final dividend Reported Profit After Tax: $599 million, down $60 million* Normalised Profit After Tax: $588 million, up $190 million# Total Group normalised EBIT: $952 million, up $73 million# Net debt[1]: $3.8 billion, down $872 million Debt to EBITDA ratio: 2.7x improved from 3.3x Full year normalised earnings per share: 34 cents * 2020 financial year included the gain from the divestments of DFE Pharma and foodspring® # Normalised numbers reflect the underlying performance of the business. Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited today announced a strong set of results for the 2021 financial year, reflected in a final Farmgate Milk Price of $7.54, normalised earnings per share of 34 cents and a final dividend of 15 cents, taking the total dividend for the year to 20 cents per share. The results come as Fonterra moves through its business reset and into a new phase of growing the value of its business. CEO Miles Hurrell says the last three years have been about resetting the business. “We’ve stuck to our strategy of maximising the value of our New Zealand milk, moved to a customer-led operating model and strengthened our balance sheet. “The results and total pay-out we’ve announced today show what we can achieve when we focus on quality execution and an aligned Co-op. “I want to thank our farmer owners and employees for their hard work and commitment over the last few years that has got us to this position. Together, we’ve shored up foundations and done this despite the challenges of operating in a COVID-19 world. “Although the higher milk price and tightening margins put pressure […]

DairyNZ supports next generation Overseer for farms and environment

Industry good organisation DairyNZ endorses further redevelopment of Overseer to continue its role helping optimise farm systems to protect water quality, farm viability and economy. DairyNZ strategy and investment leader Dr David Burger says science-based management and modelling reviews, such as the recent Government report into Overseer, helps improve nutrient management for the environment and farm businesses. “Overseer is vital in helping farmers, the sector and councils understand farm management, particularly nutrient and greenhouse gas losses to the environment. Therefore, we must have a high level of confidence in it as a tool,” says DairyNZ strategy and investment leader Dr David Burger. “It’s pleasing Government is committed to supporting Overseer and a re-development, while looking at other tools to improve nutrient management and on-farm outcomes.” Dr Burger said DairyNZ research shows nitrate leaching measurements from farm system experiments are generally well-aligned with Overseer predictions where actual climate data has been used on dairy land. “Along with this on-farm science, DairyNZ has contributed to improvements to the Overseer model, such as including plantain and updating the wetland and riparian modules. Our research and experience with farmers tells us Overseer is an important tool for helping dairy farmers manage nitrogen and reduce losses from farms. “Falling back on input controls or reliance on risk factors is not an adequate substitute for output modelling, especially when we have an increasingly sophisticated range of nitrogen management options that Overseer enables farmers to model,” says Dr Burger. “Farm systems are complex and there are a range of ways farmers can reduce their footprint. Overseer allows farmers to model different options in the context of their farm system – enabling innovation and flexibility. “Looking ahead, we support the Government’s commitment to examine a wider range of tools to support nutrient and sediment management at farm and […]

New plantain research a turning point for dairy

A new $22 million research initiative is underway to help dairy farmers improve freshwater quality – through using plantain pastures. The Plantain Potency and Practice programme is designed to help dairy farmers meet environmental goals, government regulations and market expectations. Modelling by DairyNZ forecasts a potential reduction of 15,000 tonnes per year of nitrate-nitrogen leached on 4200 New Zealand dairy farms in nitrogen-sensitive catchments per year by 2035. This is a 37 percent reduction from current levels. Plantain use is predicted to lead to flow-on benefits to national and regional economies. This is due to farmers spending less on other nitrate leaching solutions, therefore having more money to spend on goods and services. Plantain use is expected to save farmers more than $1 billion per decade. The work will focus on proving plantain’s effectiveness at reducing nitrate leaching, investigating regional effects and protecting the supply chain. The programme will use PGG Wrightson Seeds’ Ecotain environmental plantain, because it already has proven effectiveness. The work aims to give farmers confidence to invest in growing plantain as an animal feed on their farms throughout New Zealand. An evaluation system will be developed to assess the environmental benefits of other plantain cultivars. “This programme is very exciting and is geared at delivering many positive outcomes for farmers, the environment and New Zealand’s economy,” said DairyNZ chief executive Dr Tim Mackle. “Plantain offers the sector real potential to deliver a new, effective option for farmers. This research is a platform to see what it can really do for farming and our waterways. Dairy farmers have a long history of innovation on-farm. This is a great example of Government, farmers and organisations working together to refine our practices and technologies.” Associate Agriculture Minister Hon Meka Whaitiri […]

Bremworth signs up to the New Zealand Farm Assurance Programme (NZFAP)

Kiwi carpet manufacturer, Bremworth, has signed up to the New Zealand Farm Assurance Programme (NZFAP), signalling its support for and adoption of a national wool standard. NZFAP provides assurance to consumers about the integrity, traceability, biosecurity, environmental sustainability, and animal health and welfare of New Zealand’s primary sector products. Bremworth joins 20 other wool industry members to transition towards sourcing their wool from 6,800 accredited sheep farms across New Zealand that meet the standards set by the NZFAP. By signing up to NZFAP, Bremworth, which is now New Zealand’s only 100% pure wool carpet manufacturer, can additionally provide customers with a product where the wool has met traceability, authentic origin and animal welfare standards. CEO Paul Alston said, “our long-term vision is to be a global leader in designing and creating desirable, high performing, safe and sustainable interior products. Ensuring that this starts on the farm is very important to our business and we look forward to working with New Zealand’s wool growers to build a successful future for the New Zealand wool industry.” Craig Smith, chairman of the National Council of New Zealand Wool Interests, said, “NZFAP provides value-chain assurances we need around land management, origin, traceability, animal health and welfare. We now have 21 New Zealand wool companies and 6,800 certified wool growers across key points in the supply chain signed up and we expect more to follow. We welcome Bremworth to this important programme.” Bremworth has commenced sourcing NZFAP accredited wool and is transitioning towards sourcing 100% of their wool from accredited sources.

DairyNZ: climate plan must set farmers up to succeed

As the Independent Climate Change Commission deliver their final advice, DairyNZ are calling on the Government to deliver not only a pragmatic emissions reduction plan – but the funding and support to achieve it too. “Dairy farmers are committed to playing their part alongside the rest of the economy and doing our fair share when it comes to reducing emissions – but the Government needs to be setting our farmers up to succeed,” said DairyNZ chief executive, Dr Tim Mackle. “In practice, that means having clear and achievable targets, pragmatic timeframes, and an appropriate level of Government investment in tools and technologies that will help us reduce our emissions. “Kiwi dairy farmers are already the most emission efficient producers of milk in the world, but we know that both our communities and our consumers expect us to continue to improve. “Unfortunately, we have already pulled many of the levers we have to reduce our footprint. Although we are always exploring new solutions through R&D, these take both time and money.” Dr Mackle said while Budget 2021 may have delivered significant investment that will help urban New Zealanders reduce their CO2 emissions, there was nowhere near the same level of support for rural communities. “The Commission were very clear in their draft advice that we will need to see a real focus on both R&D and digital connectivity for rural communities if we want to halt our contribution to further warming. “Investment in R&D is going to be critical if New Zealand is to meet our highly ambitious methane reduction targets without severe impacts for rural communities and the New Zealand economy. “The sector wants to work in partnership with the Government to deliver a clear long-term science strategy that will focus our joint efforts and ensure funding is directed to […]

Synlait Milk Limited (Synlait) resets emissions reduction targets

The targets, covering greenhouse gas emissions from Synlait’s operations (scope 1 and 2), are an upgrade of the company’s inaugural sustainability targets launched in 2018. The reset targets, approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), align with the New Zealand Government’s commitment to keep warming to 1.5°C, and will reduce: • Absolute scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 45% between FY20 and FY28; and• Scope 3 GHG emissions from on-farm purchased goods and services by 30% per kgMS between FY20 and FY28. Synlait’s target for on-farm (scope 3) emissions is unchanged as it already meets the SBTi’s criteria for ambitious value chain goals. Synlait Director Sustainability and Brand Hamish Reid commented: “This is another big step for Synlait, further boosting our sustainability programme and commitment to people and planet. The upgraded targets ensure that our pledge to lower Synlait’s impact on Papatūānuku is backed by climate science, giving us increased clarity on what action we need to take.” Synlait has had a decarbonisation plan in place since 2018. The programme started with the commissioning of New Zealand’s first large-scale electrode boiler at Synlait Dunsandel. About SBTI:The SBTi is a collaboration between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). It defines and promotes best practice in science-based target setting and independently assesses companies’ targets. You can learn more here https://sciencebasedtargets.org/. About Synlait’s sustainability strategy:To learn more about Synlait’s sustainability strategy you can read the 2020 Sustainability Report or visit https://www.synlait.com/sustainability/.

Dairy challenged to keep building momentum

Dairy farmers at DairyNZ’s Farmers’ Forum have been challenged to take their world-leading farm systems and continue toward an increasingly sustainable future. The forum in Waikato and Southland opened on Thursday, April 29, with keynote speaker Climate Change Minister Hon. James Shaw, who acknowledged the sector’s success and where dairy is heading. “We know that New Zealand’s dairy farmers have amongst the lowest carbon footprint per unit of production in the world. That is something for us to build on, to bend the curve on our total emissions output, because it is our total emissions that cause climate change,” said Mr Shaw. “There have been things happening in the sector over the past few years that are changing the way things are done. These are making significant impacts for the farmers adopting them, reducing their emissions whilst at the same time increasing their profitability. Our task now is to roll these innovations and changes in farm practice out right across the country.” “The same thing is true in every sector of the economy. There is a lot of work to be done, but if we get it right, what we’ll see is a cleaner and more productive country.” Leading New Zealand economist Cameron Bagrie also emphasised challenges facing the sector, including climate change and the labour issues, but suggests the farming sector’s sentiment in the next 10 to 20 years should be a glass half full. “Our country’s world leading agricultural sector has made big advances over the past few years, including tidying up balance sheets, and improvements can and should continue,” said Mr Bagrie. “Disruption is here, and coming thick and fast, but the dairy sector knows what it needs to do. We are going to get there.” DairyNZ chairman Jim van der Poel also said we can be […]

New grain fed beef site set to tantalise

New website grainfedbeef.com.au showcases the attributes of grain fed beef production in Australia and aims to provide consumers with information that covers topics including animal welfare, environment, and nutrition. Queensland-based lot feeder, Barb Madden of Smithfield Cattle Company (pictured), is excited about the launch of grainfedbeef.com.au and said it was a project brought on by curious consumers and those involved in producing and supplying the highly sought-after product. “To date, there has been a lack of readily accessible, credible information available on the production of grain fed beef in Australia. This central source of verified information will prove to be a valuable resource for those seeking out this information,” Barb explained. The site and Instagram account @grainfedbeef promises to deliver tantalising stories on how grain fed beef is produced and how people like to enjoy the tender, juicy flavours that is consistent with grain fed beef. “Australian grain fed beef is an exceptional product, underpinned by a quality assurance system that is considered the world’s best practice. Consumers might be surprised by the quality, care and pride that goes into every step, from production to product, welfare and environment.” “The site allows consumers to connect with where their food comes from in a direct and engaging way.” “As grain fed beef producers, we are committed to meeting the high standards we set for ourselves, and that are set within our independently audited quality assurance scheme. For us, it is about communicating this to our consumers and the progress we’re continually making in line with community expectations,” Barb said. Anyone seeking out information on grain fed beef will find value in the site, whether you have it on your restaurant menu, stocked in your butchery, or served up on the family dinner table. Peak industry body, the Australian Lot Feeders’ Association, […]

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