News Ticker

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.

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 […]

Preparing businesses for the future

New Zealand businesses will be able to find exciting innovation opportunities thanks to new globally unique digital identifiers for different parts of their business. NZBN Organisation Parts, linked to a business’s legal entity identifier, the New Zealand Business Number (NZBN), and reinforced by a global international standard, will accelerate businesses’ adoption of digital ways of working. A business can assign Organisation Part identifiers to its different physical or logical parts (e.g., branches, departments, and delivery addresses) to enable accurate, safe digital interactions, and ensure key messages between trading partners (e.g., purchase orders, invoices, and deliveries) will be directed to the right place. “Organisation Parts will future-proof and empower businesses to innovate, digitise, and compete in the evolving digital economy”, says Ross van der Schyff, General Manager Business & Consumer at the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE). “The NZBN ecosystem has evolved to meet customer needs and now reflects New Zealand businesses’ structures and digital interactions. Organisation Parts will help businesses prepare for exciting opportunities, such as e-invoicing, secure transactions, and cloud-based information sharing, available with the growing digital economy.” Dr Peter Stevens CEO, GS1 New Zealand, noted the importance of businesses being globally connected for New Zealand’s status as a trading nation. “GS1’s Global Location Numbers were chosen by the Government in 2013 because they are globally unique, and part of a credible international system with strong links to trade and supply chain logistics. “Future uses of Organisation Parts could include creating digital pathways to track food from the paddock to the plate, car parts to the manufacturer, and medicine to specific cabinets in a hospital.” Active tech investor Serge van Dam says that the NZBN – now augmented with Organisation Parts – is the unique digital key that the digital ecosystem needs. “If businesses, technology providers and […]

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Dairy sector backs global methane pledge

The New Zealand dairy sector is committed to playing its part to reduce global methane levels by 30 percent by 2030. Global methane does need to reduce and the dairy sector will do its fair share to reduce emissions alongside all sectors. However, DairyNZ chief executive Dr Tim Mackle (pictured) says he wants farmers to know the pledge doesn’t mean dairy farming emissions need to reduce by 30 percent, and for the Government to acknowledge this. “New Zealand dairy is already the world’s most emissions-efficient dairy milk producer, and dairy farmers are continuing their work on-farm to reduce emissions,” says Dr Mackle. “Methane is derived from the energy, agriculture and waste sectors, and the pledge focuses on reducing methane from fossil fuels. New Zealand already has a robust 2030 methane target for agriculture in the Zero Carbon Act. The dairy sector and agritech companies have a lot of work underway to achieve it,” says Dr Mackle. Climate Change Minister James Shaw today announced at the UN climate change conference, COP26, that New Zealand is signing the global pledge led by the European Union and the United States. The pledge is clear it does not replace the need to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, which dominate not only the overall level of warming but also the speed of warming. It also states a global methane reduction of 30 percent by 2030 has the potential to avoid 0.2 degrees Celsius of warming by 2050. The pledge focuses mainly on reducing methane from fossil fuels because the best least-cost opportunities exist there. It acknowledges agricultural methane and calls for technology innovation, incentives and partnerships in that sector. The new pledge is a collective target, rather than requiring each country to reduce overall methane emissions by 30 percent. “New Zealand already has a clear […]

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 […]

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