New Zealand’s one of the best places to produce dairy in the world.  As an island nation in the middle of the South Pacific with plenty of natural open spaces, New Zealand has some of the freshest air in the world.  The  natural environment is ideal for growing grass, with fertile soil, modearate temperatures and excellent rainfall, as well as abundant sunshine. 

New Zealand farms the way nature intended, with cows grazing on lush pastures.  

Grass is a natural food source for cows and New Zealand is one of the few places in the world where cows can graze on grass, year-round (grass is 96% of the average cow’s diet).  And cows spend over 350 days in a year on pasture. That’s on average 97% of their time - more than anywhere else in the world.

Cows are the heart of every dairy farm, and their wellbeing means everything to farmers.  They are valued and treated with respect throughout their lives, ensuring they are healthy, productive, and well cared for.

Dairy sourced from New Zealand farms meet the Cared for Cows Standard, which sets out the requirements for Fonterra’s management of Animal Health and Wellbeing.