We regularly review our policy on animal health and welfare.
Freedom from hunger and thirst by ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigour.
Freedom from discomfort by providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area.
Freedom from pain, injury and disease by ensuring rapid diagnosis and treatment.
Freedom to express normal behaviour by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and the company of the animal’s own kind.
Freedom from fear and distress by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid physical and mental suffering.
To support and manage adherence to this policy we partner with regulatory and industry bodies, veterinarians and rural professionals.
The responsibility for management of farm animal welfare in Fonterra on a global basis is assigned to Fonterra’s General Manager – Veterinary, Technical and Risk Management. Management and implementation of Fonterra’s animal welfare policies and strategies is undertaken by the in-house veterinary team nationally and internationally.
Fonterra develops and implements processes across its business to assess and report compliance with policy, including audit at appropriate intervals.
We provide regular communication and supporting material (e.g. a Dairy Diary, Supplier Handbook and fact sheets) to our farmers and we perform farm assessments to gather information.
We partner with our farmers to support the adoption of good management practices to continuously improve animal health and welfare outcomes.
Our responsibility to animal welfare extends to wherever we operate in the world.
Check out this video and information below about the various ways we deliver on our commitments.
The Supply Fonterra Programme has been developed to assist and support farmers on the continuous improvement journey of sustainable milk production. It brings together current and new milk quality and environmental management programmes while providing a platform to address new priorities that emerge from market and regulators.
We require all our suppliers to comply fully with the latest codes of welfare that apply to them.
We update our suppliers regularly about changes to code of welfare and new regulations.
Good animal care is achieved through a combination of compliance with regulations and Codes of Welfare and the increasing adoption of best practice. Best practice is supported by Fonterra and other industry bodies.
The Mastitis Support programme provides support to our farmers by engaging accredited veterinarians to identify, prevent and manage the cause of mastitis in our suppliers’ herds.
When farmers require extra support, Fonterra engages trained Dairy New Zealand animal husbandry extension specialists and rural professionals to assist.
Fonterra requires that all organic farmers meet the Organic Dairy Quality Certification programme. This programme includes requirements for the management of the health and welfare of the animals contributing to supply. The programme is subject to routine independent audit by the organic certifying organisations.