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Regenerative system spins farmers wheels. PAGE 25
NZ farmers get a look at the best of Europe. PAGE 30
More trade is the best way to sustainably feed humanity. PAGE 19
TO ALL FARMERS, FOR ALL FARMERS JULY 30, 2019: ISSUE 681
www.ruralnews.co.nz
More Fonterra woes SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
FONTERRA IS facing a backlash from Australian farmer suppliers worried that the co-op could pull out of the extremely challenging market. Victoria farmer Mark Billing, who stopped supplying Fonterra from July 1, told Rural News the long term viability of the company in Australia “is starting to worry us”. Billing, a fourth generation dairy farmer, had been supplying Fonterra since it fully took over Bonlac Food’s operations in 2005. He served as a director of Bonlac Supply Company
that represents the co-op’s 1300 farmer suppliers in Australia and he chaired the advisory group Bonlac Farmers Forum. He isn’t the only high profile Bonlac member to take supply away from Fonterra. In July last year, former Bonlac deputy chairman Aubrey Pellett quit and now supplies Bega Cheese. Billing believes 25 to 30 farmers have left Fonterra in recent months, taking away about 100 million litres of milk to other processors.
“We are talking about bigger farmers taking their milk elsewhere. 100m litres may not be big in NZ but that’s a lot of milk over here,” he told Rural News. Billing milks 400 cows in Larpent, southwest Victoria, and says leaving Fonterra wasn’t an easy decision. “For my heart it was difficult because we have been supplying milk to make the champion Western Star butter. But for my mind it was easy because of the lack of communication
from Fonterra. “Most processors sign up guaranteeing a base minimum milk price for the season. Fonterra is still refusing to do this.” Billing says alarm bells started ringing among Bonlac members when Fonterra in April 2016 followed the former co-op Murray Goulburn in suddenly dropping its milk price. For May and June that year, most farmers received an average milk
Birds eye view ON LARGE isolated farms the 4WD ute has definite limitations. Ruth Allanson knows this, and at Fieldays she showed an impressive alternative -- a light aircraft that can easily handle the toughest of farm airstrips. She flew up from Haast to Hamilton airport en route to Fieldays in an Italian two seater, P92 Taildragger Tecnam aircraft. Then she had it trailered over to Mystery Creek. There are 11 different Tecnams, ranging from two- to 11 seaters. The smaller models suit private use or flight training and the larger flying into tourist spots. The basic two-seater sells for about $145,000, and an upgraded model -- the one on display -- sells for $200,000. Allanson says Tecnams are popular with farmers, and she estimates about 100 are privately owned in NZ.
TO PAGE 4
CAMPAIGN GAINS SUPPORT PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
FIFTY SHADES of Green campaigner Mike Butterick is encouraged by the level of support his group is getting from farmers and other rural people. He says it is succeeding in raising awareness of the issue of too Mike Butterick many trees being planted. Butterick has had positive talks with Shane Jones and Damien O’Connor and he thinks they understand the issue. Everybody is trying to get to a desired outcome, he told Rural News. “Reaction from farmers is huge, and not just farmers. Provincial business people and employers are also supporting us. We are there for provincial people to voice their concerns as well.” Butterick says the campaign has taken a lot of his time and has grown into an unbelievable beast. It’s all about democracy, getting motivated and taking action, he says. It started when someone telephoned him about the issue and he decided to take the lead. “I am passionate about rural and provincial NZ and feel that something is wrong and I want to put it right.”
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