Mill purchase strengthens co-op offering

Farmlands recently purchased the Winton feed mill site, demonstrating the co-op’s commitment to the Southland region and to becoming the number-one farmer-owned supplier of quality nutrition for New Zealand farmers.  

This purchase comes less than a year after Farmlands acquired SealesWinslow and established a national animal nutrition production business. 

It’s another demonstration of how Farmlands is successfully strengthening its feed manufacturing footprint, it says. 

Farmlands has leased the Winton site since 2008. 

With the purchase of the land and buildings, the co-op can further invest in the site and expand the operating capacity of the mill. 

Farmlands CEO Tanya Houghton says that buying the mill highlights Farmlands’ support for both farmers and growers across the Southland and Otago regions and increases the value and support its nutrition  products offer them. 

“The purchase of the Winton mill site is another step forward in the delivery of our national nutrition strategy.  

“It’ll help us provide continuity of supply of high-quality feeds to farmers and customers in Southland and further afield. It also supports our commitment to sourcing grain from our local grower shareholders.” 

The compound feed production from the mill supports customers directly and bagged product is distributed to Farmlands’ new Southland regional hub, servicing customers in the region and well beyond.  

“The Winton Mill purchase is a key example of how Farmlands looks at its role in procuring, manufacturing and distributing key farm inputs to deliver maximum economic benefit to the rural communities from every angle,” adds Houghton. 

“Our grain growers benefit from our purchasing of raw material, our Winton team benefits from our long-term commitment to them, our shareholders benefit from a strengthened co-op and our customers benefit from locally-produced and distributed feed products.” 

This last point is critical right now as Southland farmers have been facing weather challenges affecting grass feed production and need to be able to access a full range of nutrition options and value these being locally produced.