Co-operative Difference
Everything you need to know about the 2025/26 and 2026/27 seasons.
How can we help?
WHY WE HAVE THE CO-OPERATIVE DIFFERENCE
Recognising the performance that sets us apart
Your Co-op is different from other milk processors. It’s different because you own it – it’s yours – and because your individual effort contributes to greater collective value.
As a Co-op farmer, you have the ability to affect the relationship the Co-op has with your customers, and how much they value your milk, with the things you do on-farm.
This is why we have the Co-operative Difference, and the Customer Incentives - to encourage the milk quality, low emissions and leading on-farm practices that set us apart.
GET TO KNOW THE CHANGES
Understand the stages
HOW IT’S FUNDED
How the Co-operative Difference is funded
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
The Co-operative Difference was launched in 2019 and is about setting the Co-op up for success into the future by securing opportunities to create value and managing potential risks to existing value.
Te Pūtake has been reduced from 7 requirements to two requirements.
Strong farmer uptake means many practices are now business as usual. This reduces some of the duplication between the Co-operative Difference and Terms of Supply.
There is less to prepare for the Farm Dairy Assessment and fewer things to get checked off to achieve the Co-operative Difference.
No. Standards remain in Terms of Supply. The change removes duplication and keeps the focus on outcomes.