Andrew Slater - March FLT Update

It’s been great to see a relatively settled March to date … a bit of a late summer in a way. Strong growth has resulted in cows looking sharp, producing well and setting the farm up for a solid Autumn! On top of this, a strong, if not rather volatile, milk price is shaping up to be a fantastic season all round.

I was fortunate to be part of Nestlé’s visit to Synlait a couple of weeks ago. We spent half a day on Dunsandel 2 (Synlait’s Dairy Farm) engaging in discussion and sharing ideas about the Nestlé program, what we’re achieving, the challenges we face, and the successes we’re building. It was fantastic to connect with a group so eager to understand how and why we do what we do and to ensure our success. It’s very encouraging having a customer like Nestlé willing to back us both financially and technically, to help achieve both our and their climate goals. After all, dangling a carrot is far more enjoyable than being chased by a whip (for most people anyway😊).

On the 20th of March, I had the pleasure of hosting the Farmer Leadership Team and Synlait’s Board around my kitchen table for breakfast. It was a great chance to connect with the Board, share insights, and fire a few questions their way. Some key points I got out of the morning:

No one is happy with Synlait’s financial results to date and excuses aside, there are solid actions in place and plans to improve performance and return the company to profitability.
Bright Dairy continues to have faith in the potential of Synlait and is in full support of the direction the company is heading.
The Board has a real interest in Synlait’s farmer suppliers, including our thoughts, challenges and successes.
With the Farmer Leadership Team election coming up, I strongly encourage you all to review the nominees and vote. It’s exciting to see so many people stepping up to be part of this group.

As always, don’t hesitate to reach out to myself or any of the FLT if you have questions, concerns, or ideas.

Here’s to a continuation of our late summer and a solid couple of months to round out the season.

Talk soon,
Andrew Slater
Farmer Leadership Team