New Zealand is our home and one of the best countries in the world to farm grass-fed dairy.
In New Zealand we have ideal conditions for growing grass - a temperate climate, plentiful rainfall and over 2,000 hours of sunshine a year helping us to grow lush green pastures for our cows to graze on.
New Zealand’s grass-fed dairy advantage
Grass is a natural food source for cows and New Zealand is one of the few countries where cows can graze outdoors on grass year-round. In fact, our cows spend over 350 days1 outside making the most of natural sunlight, fresh air and expressing their natural behaviours. Our pasture-based farming system also helps New Zealand farmers be amongst the most emissions efficient producers of dairy in the world.2
Grass-fed goodness starts with lush, green pastures
As a pioneer in New Zealand grass-fed farming, we're experts at growing nutritious grass. We farm alongside nature, following the seasonal patterns of pasture growth. Our cows are 96% grass-fed3 and we are proud that Fonterra exceeds the requirements of the New Zealand Dairy Grass Fed Administrative Standard.
Every drop of grass-fed milk is full of nutrition
Milk is nutrient rich containing a unique bundle of 10 essential nutrients, including high-quality protein, bio-available calcium, potassium, zinc, magnesium and vitamins A, B2 and B12. New Zealand grass-fed cows make milk that has naturally higher levels of vitamin D, beta-carotene, conjugated linoleic fatty acid and a better omega-3 to omega-6 ratio compared to grain fed cows.
Farming with regenerative agriculture practices
In New Zealand, many of our usual farming practices like rotational grazing are considered regenerative – it's simply part of how we farm. At Fonterra, regenerative agriculture is about continuous improvement over time with the goal of improving outcomes for the natural resources we depend on. These practices can also play an important role by helping to deliver emissions efficiencies on-farm and manage the impacts of climate change.
Bespoke environmental insights for every farm
Working closely with our farmer shareholders, we've created bespoke individual reports for every Fonterra farm across the country supplying milk to the Co-op. This data gives us a deep understanding of farming practices and on-farm GHG footprints, helping farmers identify opportunities for on-farm efficiencies and make informed decisions that support ongoing progress.
New Zealand organic grass-fed dairy
Alongside our wider dairy offering, Fonterra provides certified organic dairy from a dedicated group of New Zealand farms. These farms combine our pasture-based farming expertise with organic dairy practices, farming without synthetic pesticides, synthetic fertilisers, GMOs, and antibiotics4 to meet the strict requirements of a range of leading organic standards. It’s a premium offering for customers seeking high-quality, grass-fed dairy with organic certification. To find out more about our organic grass-fed claims and how the organic milk pool meets the New Zealand Dairy Grass-fed Standard click here.
1350 days grazing on pasture is an average calculated across our Fonterra New Zealand farms. Visit here for more information.
2Mazzetto, A. M., Falconer, S., & Ledgard, S. (2022). Mapping the carbon footprint of milk production from cattle: A systematic review. Journal of Dairy Science, 105(12), 9713-9725.
396% is an average calculated on an ‘as consumed’ basis. The average is measured over our previous three seasons. Grass-fed means cows mainly grazing on grass and crops in paddocks where they roam. Some farmers may include supplementary feed to help support cows’ nutrition. Visit here for more information.
4While organic standards vary globally, Fonterra's Organic programme ultimately requires USDA and Taiwan Organic certification, which does not allow milk from antibiotic-treated animals to be sold as organic.