Solving data duplication through farmer co-design

Farmers across the dairy industry have been clear: there’s an opportunity to simplify how farm information is managed.

Too often, the same data is requested multiple times across different organisations, systems, and processes. Reducing this duplication is an important step in making compliance easier and giving farmers more time back where it matters.

Over recent seasons, Fonterra has taken a leadership role in addressing this challenge. By working closely with industry partners, the focus has been on connecting systems, reusing data more effectively, and making farm information easier to manage. The goal is simple – reduce duplication, streamline compliance activities, and create a better overall experience for farmers.

This work is coming together in a new web-based workspace and a simpler Dairy Diary App coming later this year – bringing partner data into one place while making on-farm recording quicker and easier. Together, they give farmers a more complete view of their information, supporting faster decisions and reducing the time spent pulling data together.
 

Designed with farmers, not just for them

A strong co-design approach has been central to this journey. Over the past two years, teams have worked alongside farmers across regions, listening to their experiences and testing ideas in real-world conditions.

Hayley Morris and Richard Shed who have led the work, say farmer input has shaped every step – from identifying key pain points, to prioritising the most important information, to designing how it should be presented.

The Dairy Diary App BETA group has also played a key role, with farmers trialling new features and providing practical, day-to-day feedback that has directly influenced improvements.

“The value of co-design really comes through in the details,” says Hayley.

“Farmers are great folk to co-design with. I think this is down to the fact that they are natural problem solvers, once you explain your challenge and what you're trying to achieve, they really lean in,” says Richard.

Simplifying compliance through better data

Compliance and assurance activities are a necessary part of running a modern dairy farm. At an industry level, there is a shared responsibility to meet customer and regulatory expectations – but how this information is collected and managed can make a significant difference to farmers’ workloads.

By improving how data is connected and reused, the aim is to ensure that once information is provided, it can be used many times across the system. This reduces the need for repeated entry and makes it clearer for farmers to understand what’s required, when, and why.

Through this approach, there is a clear opportunity to significantly reduce the time farmers spend on compliance related admin, delivering meaningful time savings across the Co-operative.

Introducing the new workspace

All of this progress is being brought together in a new digital workspace, launching later this year. It gives farmers a simpler way to see their farm information and work through what needs to be done, all in one place.

The focus is on clarity and ease of use – fewer systems to navigate, better visibility of what’s complete, and a more straightforward way to stay on top of key tasks like farm assessments and annual dairy records.

By bringing these activities together, the experience of managing compliance and farm data becomes simpler, faster, and more intuitive.

“Good to have it all pulled in one spot where you can find things. Bring it all into one place. Yeah, that's good," says Ashburton farmer.
 

What’s next

The new digital workspace will be available for farmers to start exploring early in the season, giving them the opportunity to try it out and provide feedback.

This is an important step in ensuring the workspace continues to evolve in a way that reflects real on-farm needs. By inviting farmers to engage early, it enables everyone to have a say in shaping their future workspace and how farm data and compliance activities are managed.

It’s part of a longer-term commitment to reducing duplication across the industry and making it easier for farmers to manage their farm, with clear visibility of what needs to be done and when.

What will remain constant is the approach: working alongside farmers, testing ideas in practice, and focusing on improvements that make a genuine difference.

For farmers, that means less time spent on paperwork – and more time focused on their farm, their business, and their families.

For more information, reach out to your local Farmer Support and Relationship Advisor.