The Co-op is full of great stories of farmers doing their best for New Zealand's economy, environment, and its community, in a very regulated environment. Sometimes the conditions can be very challenging and it is imperative our farmers have the support and understanding of New Zealand’s leaders. This is where Fonterra's New Zealand Government Affairs team come to the fore - advocating for our Co-op to Ministers and Members of Parliament and sharing our great stories.
For Government Affairs Advisor Kiriana Isgrove, it's a role she is passionate about.
"I grew up in the Hauraki Plains, which is dairy farming land. I knew that I would always end up in the agriculture or food and fibre sector, more so because I saw a lot of the struggles facing the community and knew instinctively that we could make it easier for farmers," Kiriana says.
Kiriana went on to complete a Bachelor of Science in Biological and Environmental Science and a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences at Waikato University. Upon graduating she initially worked as a research assistant at NIWA. Just six months into the role, however, Kiriana learned she had secured a spot in Fonterra's Graduate Programme so she left NIWA for the Co-op and has been here ever since - first as a Sustainable Dairy Advisor and then in her current government advisory role.
"When I was a Sustainable Dairy Advisor I spent a lot of time developing farm environment plans with farmers and they would often ask me where the regulation had come from and why certain decisions were made at central and regional government level. Having moved into the government affairs space, I've been able to learn more about the legislation process and how it influences what we do," Kiriana says.
"The government affairs space is a big beast and it's great that Fonterra has a team that is driving change in the political environment to secure the longevity of our Co-op. It's essential that we can operate not just today but into the future and that's where our team fits in."
Fonterra is apolitical and works with politicians and leaders across the political divide.
"We have very consistent messaging on what our wants and needs are. No matter who the government is, our key messaging and what we want to see from the policy environment doesn't change. We continue to work with all political stakeholders and maintain our relationships with them between elections. We learn where they see the political environment going and make sure they are aware of what we would deem as unworkable for our business," Kiriana says.
"We're engaging across multiple areas - agriculture, emissions reductions, the RMA, workplace relations, safety, transport - anything the Co-op is going to be affected by and we signal our position early on. Our role is to back the future of the Co-op and the future of our farmers.
The Government Affairs Team is part of Fonterra's Global Sustainability, Stakeholder Affairs, and Trade unit and there is a lot of collaboration between the various teams to ensure Fonterra has "one voice" in its dealings with stakeholders.
To find out more about how Fonterra is working for you call 0800 65 65 68 or drop into your local Farm Source store.