Fonterra And RD1 Joining Forces For Farmers

21 February 2013

Fonterra And RD1 Joining Forces For Farmers

Fonterra and its rural retail arm, RD1, have teamed up to help the Co-operative’s farmers reach their stock exclusion goal by the end of the year.

Fonterra Chairman John Wilson, Director Global Sustainability Bruce Donnison and RD1 Managing Director Jason Minkhorst hosted Fonterra farmers for a barbecue at RD1’s Te Awamutu store to launch the promotion today.

“This is the biggest fencing promotion RD1 has ever run and we’re offering it exclusively to Fonterra farmers,” said Mr Minkhorst.

In June 2012 Fonterra introduced the Waterway Management Programme which states that as part of their supply contracts farmers need to ensure stock are excluded from waterways through permanent fencing or planting by 1 December 2012*.

Mr Donnison said this promotion is one of the ways Fonterra is helping its farmers to achieve this.

“Protecting New Zealand’s waterways is important to everyone in our Co-operative and we need to work together to make a difference.

“We know our farmers are working hard to make changes on farm, but we also know there are big costs involved. We want to do what we can to get in behind our farmers and support the great work being done,” said Mr Donnison.

The promotion, which is running from 21-28 February, includes product savings with up to 50% off fencing supplies, as well as three months interest free offered on all fencing products, and free wire with all purchases over $1000.

“I’m proud of the work that’s already been done by our farmers and we saw some of it highlighted in the Clean Streams Accord snapshot yesterday. But we’ve still got a way to go,” Mr Donnison said.

“The fact is that the rules and regulations are going to keep changing and we need to stay ahead of the game. We want to lead the industry in sustainable dairying and keeping stock out of waterways is an important step.”

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Background information

Fonterra’s Waterway Management Programme is one part of Supply Fonterra – an initiative which encompasses all of Fonterra’s on-farm programmes that help farmers continuously improve their milk quality and environmental impacts.

Supply Fonterra also includes the Effluent Management Programme and the Nitrogen Management Programme and is aimed at helping the Co-operative achieve its 2020 targets of 100% stock exclusion from waterways, 100% effective effluent systems in place and 50% riparian planting.

Fonterra is working closely with its farmers in achieving these goals. The Co-op has a team of on-farm experts putting in place tailored sustainability programmes for farms and providing farm management advice and support.

* Waterways include those that permanently contain water and are wider than one metre and deeper than 30cm.

Photo caption: From left: Fonterra Director Global Sustainability Bruce Donnison, farmer shareholder Grant Wilson, RD1 Managing Director Jason Minkhorst and Fonterra Chairman John Wilson load up some fencing supplies.

About Fonterra
Fonterra is a global leader in dairy nutrition – the preferred supplier of dairy ingredients to many of the world’s leading food companies. Fonterra is also a market leader with our own consumer dairy brands in Australia/New Zealand, Asia/Africa, Middle East and Latin America.

The farmer-owned New Zealand co-operative is the largest processor of milk in the world, producing more than two million tonnes of dairy ingredients, value added dairy ingredients, specialty ingredients and consumer products every year. Drawing on generations of dairy expertise, Fonterra is one of the largest investors in dairy based research and innovation in the world. Our more than 16,000 staff work across the dairy spectrum from advising farmers on sustainable farming and milk production, to ensuring we live up to exacting quality standards and delivering every day on our customer promise in more than 100 markets around the world.

ENDS

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