This year has marked ten years since the creation of Farm Source, a fully-owned subsidiary of Fonterra that has served as the farmer support arm of the cooperative.
Farm Source is much more than a retail network. It has teams on the ground, including sustainable dairying advisors, milk quality managers, vets, and other specialists who work alongside farmers to help them continue to lead the way in sustainable, efficient dairy farming.
This includes offering a range of tools and services delivered personally, from tailored Farm Insights Reports and Farm Environment Plans to digital apps, data-sharing solutions and deferred payment options.
Meanwhile, 65 Farm Source stores nationwide have been aptly named “Our Place.” They often hold “Pie Day Fridays” to bring together farmers, Farm Source staff, and local communities, and this recently became “Cake Day Friday” to help mark the 10-year milestone.
Farm Source Group Director Anne Douglas said hundreds of farmers turned out nationwide.
“It was fantastic to see so many of our farmer-owners and other valued customers join us in-store. I was in Waiuku, and the farmers I met there were delighted to be part of the celebration,” said Douglas.
Douglas joined Fonterra around the time that Farm Source was launched in 2014. Until then, the cooperative’s store network had been known as RD1.
The shift to Farm Source was about doing things differently to connect farmers with the full strength of their Co-op. For example, Fonterra’s purchasing power and partnerships were leveraged to drive down costs, and the breadth and depth of the available on-farm support options were extended.
The Farm Source Rewards programme was also enhanced; since 2014, customers have earned more than NZD 125 million.
“Overall, we’re here to ensure farmers get the right support to build sustainable, productive, efficient, and effective farming operations for generations to come.”
Former Farm Source Marketing Manager Helena Jannetta, who is now based offshore with the Co-operative, said working on the transition from RD1 to Farm Source was one of her favourite projects to be involved with.
“Working directly with farmers and learning more about their businesses, struggles, and joys brought home that unique feeling that working for a cooperative brings,” said Jannetta.
Previous leaders who helped shape the business included CEO Miles Hurrell and Richard Allen, who recently joined Fonterra’s management team as President of Global Markets Ingredients.
Farm Source was also proud to support rural communities across New Zealand, partnering with Rural Support Trust and supporting wellbeing initiatives like Farm Strong, Surfing for Farmers and the Farm Without Harm programme.
Looking ahead, Fonterra will continue to adapt what it has offered farmers to help meet their evolving needs.
Delivering the most substantial offering has been a key pillar of the Co-op’s revised strategy, announced in September 2024. This strategy included managing the overall business well to earn the maximum sustainable return and offering farmers the best possible support, tools, and services to focus on their businesses and produce world-class milk.
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