Friday, March 29, 2024

Good Alliance progress, but more to do: Stacy

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Alliance has set its minimum price contract for chilled lamb for the Christmas export market at $8.10kg, departing livestock and shareholder services general manager Heather Stacy says.
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That is slightly down on last year but a sensible level given the expected volatility in world markets, largely round the United States-China trade dispute and Brexit unknowns.

“There’s no downside for farmers. It’s the minimum price and we have contracts in place.”

Stacy has another two months in the job before returning home to Australia to be closer to her family.

“It’s been a tough decision. It’s been extremely rewarding here and I’m proud of what we’ve achieved.”

With continuing firm global demand for protein the outlook for red meat is positive for the next 12 months, she said. 

Prices will be helped by a likely shortage of lamb supply in New Zealand, with up to a million fewer lambs for export than last year, continuing drought impact on sheep meat and beef supplies out of Australia and the demand resulting from the African swine fever impact on Chinese pork supply.

Part of the NZ shortage will be caused by farmers keeping more ewe lambs for breeding, a positive for the years ahead, and some lambs will be pushed though into next season for processing.

Stacy came to NZ in late 2016 to take up the new combined livestock and shareholder services post, put together because the two parts service the co-operative’s shareholder suppliers.

One of the group’s goals was to make the business more agile and flexible in responding to supplier needs and improving their connectivity to the co-op.

“We’ve made major improvements and strengthened relationships though there’s always more to do.”

The group’s Livestock Excellence Programme has focused on improving frontline staff expertise and technical skills.

“The field team are at the coal face so we’ve trained them up to be able to communicate the strategy of the organisation to farmers and we’re committed to build the connection so that suppliers can know your co-op and understand how the business operates.”

Stacy said shareholder numbers are increasing every year. 

“We think farmers appreciate a strong co-operative in NZ, that it underpins the industry.”

Alliance is increasing market share in the North Island, getting new shareholders and investing in the processing plants there.

Stacy is part of the executive team developing strategy. 

“We’ve had big investment progress to ensure a sustainable co-op and future growth as well, such as the pet-food investment.”

She believes a good balance has been set between livestock schedule levels, profit distribution and reinvestment of profit in the business. 

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