Fonterra and CSIRO team up on sustainable dairy innovation

NZ dairy giant Fonterra has signed a five-year strategic agreement with the CSIRO to drive innovation in sustainable farming, manufacturing, health, nutrition and consumer dairy products.

As part of the agreement, CSIRO will provide its expertise in remote sensing, resource engineering, ecosystem, food and water to the co-operative’s global dairy chain.

Fonterra Chief Technology Officer Dr Jeremy Hill said: “We intend our partnership with CSIRO to develop a range of solutions to address Fonterra's science and technology needs.”

“On-farm, CSIRO will turn their attention to herd productivity, effluent management and milk quality, and then work through our supply chain looking at processing and analytical technology, food structure and design, and consumer health benefits. We’re leaving no stone unturned to ensure Fonterra stays at the cutting edge of dairy innovation.”

Hill said CSIRO innovations such as 3D printed devices to treat sleep apnoea, soil contamination detectors and highly efficient solar technology, would play a part.

"These technologies aren’t traditionally associated with the dairy industry, but it’s the science and thinking behind these innovations that will benefit our focus on getting more value from our farmers’ milk and doing so sustainably,” he said.  

 CSIRO’s Executive Director Agriculture Food and Health Maurice Moloney said that the partnership was a key component of CSIRO’s strategy to deliver research solutions for the global dairy industry.

 “Our expertise provides significant opportunities across the entire dairy value-chain and by connecting with the likes of Fonterra we can speed delivery to market, and hence the positive impact, of this know-how,” he said.

Fonterra also last week announced the loss of 44 jobs at a facility that makes yoghurts and dairy desserts in Echuca in northern Victoria.

The factory employs 160 staff overall, and the company told ABC Rural that it need to 'right-size' the site against its current and projected volumes.