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Keith Woodford

About

Keith Woodford is an independent consultant who holds honorary positions as Professor of Agri-Food Systems at Lincoln University and Senior Research Fellow at the Contemporary China Research Centre at Victoria University. His archived writings are available at http://keithwoodford.wordpress.com

Member for

12 years

Latest articles

Changing agri-food perspectives
Keith Woodford discusses the challenges of moving from production to consumer-led in agriculture
20th Sep 16, 9:30am
by Keith Woodford
4
Keith Woodford discusses the challenges of moving from production to consumer-led in agriculture
Lessons from Australia’s dairy
Keith Woodford points to the outsized importance of governance failure in the crisis hitting Australia's largest dairy cooperative, compares it to our own rural industry governance issues
13th Sep 16, 2:35pm
by Keith Woodford
1
Keith Woodford points to the outsized importance of governance failure in the crisis hitting Australia's largest dairy cooperative, compares it to our own rural industry governance issues
Milk powder prices still look vulnerable despite mini-boom
Keith Woodford cautions the high levels of uncertainty around dairy prices. He is still working on a farmgate payout range of anywhere between $4 and $6
7th Sep 16, 1:02pm
by Keith Woodford
6
Keith Woodford cautions the high levels of uncertainty around dairy prices. He is still working on a farmgate payout range of anywhere between $4 and $6
The pros and cons of PKE
Keith Woodford assesses the case for using PKE as a dairy feed supplement, and the wider use of 'vegetable oil' in our food
18th Aug 16, 1:38pm
by Keith Woodford
12
Keith Woodford assesses the case for using PKE as a dairy feed supplement, and the wider use of 'vegetable oil' in our food
The snow has come again
Keith Woodford looks at weather events and the broader need for farm system resilience
9th Aug 16, 7:42pm
by Keith Woodford
1
Keith Woodford looks at weather events and the broader need for farm system resilience
Nervous times for Silver Fern Farms
Keith Woodford says that with Silver Fern Farms drowning in financial underperformance, it is time to "get on with it". If OIO approval comes, there will be a wide variety of ownership models as options for farmers
24th Jul 16, 3:44pm
by Keith Woodford
45
Keith Woodford says that with Silver Fern Farms drowning in financial underperformance, it is time to "get on with it". If OIO approval comes, there will be a wide variety of ownership models as options for farmers
Reducing seasonality from Kiwi dairy systems
Keith Woodford says that if New Zealand wants to capture an increasing share of the branded dairy markets, it will need to figure out how to make non-seasonal production systems work in our pasture-based environment
13th Jul 16, 7:37am
by Keith Woodford
14
Keith Woodford says that if New Zealand wants to capture an increasing share of the branded dairy markets, it will need to figure out how to make non-seasonal production systems work in our pasture-based environment
Shocks versus global change is the big dairy question
Keith Woodford says shocks can resolve themselves if there is underlying strength. But our underlying position on WMP is no longer a strength and that needs to change fast
29th Jun 16, 4:19pm
by Keith Woodford
11
Keith Woodford says shocks can resolve themselves if there is underlying strength. But our underlying position on WMP is no longer a strength and that needs to change fast
Will losing guaranteed milk supply stir Goodman Fielder to action?
Keith Woodford says a lot depends on how Singapore/Hong Kong-owned Goodman Fielder responds to potential changes to their cosy access to Fonterra's milk supply
17th Jun 16, 11:53am
by Keith Woodford
4
Keith Woodford says a lot depends on how Singapore/Hong Kong-owned Goodman Fielder responds to potential changes to their cosy access to Fonterra's milk supply
Back to the drawing board for Fonterra governance
Keith Woodford considers what Fonterra needs to think about while they "take a breath", suggests a better voting system, shows dangers of a too-small board
13th Jun 16, 1:43pm
by Keith Woodford
Keith Woodford considers what Fonterra needs to think about while they "take a breath", suggests a better voting system, shows dangers of a too-small board
Dairy price estimates are consistently wrong
Keith Woodford looks at Fonterra's latest payment forecast, separating what is 'hope' from what is 'prediction', and showing how it affects farm gate cash flows
31st May 16, 1:54pm
by Keith Woodford
17
Keith Woodford looks at Fonterra's latest payment forecast, separating what is 'hope' from what is 'prediction', and showing how it affects farm gate cash flows
Fonterra’s governance and the Trojan horse
Keith Woodford says Fonterra's proposal to change its governance structure is stacked, with farmers only getting a take-it-or-leave-it option
24th May 16, 5:05am
by Keith Woodford
7
Keith Woodford says Fonterra's proposal to change its governance structure is stacked, with farmers only getting a take-it-or-leave-it option
One-trick pony dairy industry yet to come to terms with risks of WMP dependence
Keith Woodford says to reduce our risks from a highly volatile product, we are going to have to restructure our dairy industry. It won't be easy
18th May 16, 8:51am
by Keith Woodford
33
Keith Woodford says to reduce our risks from a highly volatile product, we are going to have to restructure our dairy industry. It won't be easy
Vietnam aligns with the West
Keith Woodford sees Vietnam working diligently to get out of China's shadow, using an open internet to access markets which is helping boost living standards quickly
11th May 16, 2:20pm
by Keith Woodford
7
Keith Woodford sees Vietnam working diligently to get out of China's shadow, using an open internet to access markets which is helping boost living standards quickly
Rattling Fonterra’s governance is not enough
Keith Woodford identifies six big governance failures at the icon dairy coop. Without knowledgeable, passionate member-directors, the board becomes captured by management
3rd May 16, 9:28am
by Keith Woodford
12
Keith Woodford identifies six big governance failures at the icon dairy coop. Without knowledgeable, passionate member-directors, the board becomes captured by management
EU ramps up dairy production again
Higher European dairy production is bad news for New Zealand with no tapering off evident, and their cranking up of WMP production
29th Apr 16, 11:17am
by Keith Woodford
8
Higher European dairy production is bad news for New Zealand with no tapering off evident, and their cranking up of WMP production
Dairy prices are not predictable
Keith Woodford says predicting a specific season's milk payout price will always mislead; the best we can do is target a range over a longer time period
21st Apr 16, 7:23am
by Keith Woodford
18
Keith Woodford says predicting a specific season's milk payout price will always mislead; the best we can do is target a range over a longer time period
America’s mega dairy farms
Keith Woodford sees the huge dairy operations in the US being globally competitive but not focused on commodity markets
8th Apr 16, 9:03am
by Keith Woodford
6
Keith Woodford sees the huge dairy operations in the US being globally competitive but not focused on commodity markets
Understanding European Dairy
Keith Woodford says it is wrong to say that the European industry survives only because of subsidies
24th Mar 16, 2:50pm
by Keith Woodford
21
Keith Woodford says it is wrong to say that the European industry survives only because of subsidies
Fonterra: good news but some underlying issues
Keith Woodford gets under the hood of Fonterra's half year profit announcement and looks at what some of the figures tell us
23rd Mar 16, 2:52pm
by Keith Woodford
12
Keith Woodford gets under the hood of Fonterra's half year profit announcement and looks at what some of the figures tell us
Cutting through the spin at Fonterra
Keith Woodford wants Fonterra to get rid of the spin, communicate with its shareholders and other stakeholders with transparency, through good times and bad
17th Mar 16, 8:18am
by Keith Woodford
36
Keith Woodford wants Fonterra to get rid of the spin, communicate with its shareholders and other stakeholders with transparency, through good times and bad
Controlling dairy farm cost of production
Keith Woodford finds no silver bullet on how to make the right choices in the cost control battle - but he does find 'lots of little things' will give cost efficiency
9th Mar 16, 4:56pm
by Keith Woodford
23
Keith Woodford finds no silver bullet on how to make the right choices in the cost control battle - but he does find 'lots of little things' will give cost efficiency
A Fonterra thought experiment: where to from here?
Keith Woodford assesses Fonterra's strategic challenges, tactical options and looming risks
26th Feb 16, 10:38am
by Keith Woodford
65
Keith Woodford assesses Fonterra's strategic challenges, tactical options and looming risks
Surviving the dairy downturn as outlook goes from bad to awful
Keith Woodford says the key issue for many dairy farmers now is survival with NZ farmers needing to wait out European dairy restructuring
12th Feb 16, 1:34pm
by Keith Woodford
99
Keith Woodford says the key issue for many dairy farmers now is survival with NZ farmers needing to wait out European dairy restructuring
A2 cows are the future
Keith Woodford calls on NZ dairy farms to wake up to what is happening with A2 milk. Despite the NZ science base, local farmers have missed the boat and the economic benefit
27th Jan 16, 9:13am
by Keith Woodford
20
Keith Woodford calls on NZ dairy farms to wake up to what is happening with A2 milk. Despite the NZ science base, local farmers have missed the boat and the economic benefit