14th May 2026 // Rural News in partnership with Farmlands

Synlait CEO resigns after twelve months in role Revised fuel plan gives sheep and beef farmers greater certainty Westgold butter tops Consumer NZ blind taste test Rural News is in partnership with Farmlands as part of CountryWide CONNECT with Andy Thompson & Sarah Perriam-Lampp - our daily rural show livestreamed from 11am-1pm. Visit country-wide.co.nz on how to watch / listen.   Synlait CEO resigns after twelve months in role Synlait Milk chief executive Richard Wyeth has resigned after just over a year in the job, with Bright Dairy-appointed director Leon Fung stepping in as acting CEO from today. No reason was given for the departure. The board thanked Wyeth for leading the company through a particularly challenging period, and he will remain until June thirtieth to support the transition. The resignation adds to a period of significant instability at the Canterbury dairy processor. Synlait has had several chief executives in recent years, reported an eighty million dollar net after-tax loss in the first half of this year, and continues to deal with the fallout from manufacturing challenges at its Dunsandel site. Earlier this week, independent director Paul McGilvary also resigned from the board, leaving Synlait with just one independent director — chair George Adams. A search for a new director is already underway, with an update expected before Monday.   Revised fuel plan gives sheep and beef farmers greater certainty Sheep and beef farmers have won greater protection under the Government's revised Fuel Response Plan, with priority fuel access now reserved for more severe disruptions rather than kicking in earlier than needed. The key change shifts priority access from Phase 3 to Phase 4 of the plan, meaning normal fuel supply would continue for longer before any allocation system was introduced. Under the updated approach, Phase 3 would focus on releasing reserves and encouraging voluntary demand reduction — with stronger controls only triggered by a severe and prolonged shortage. Beef and Lamb New Zealand says it has been working behind the scenes with officials to ensure fuel settings reflect how farms and rural supply chains actually operate. The organisation pushed for the red meat sector to be treated as essential if restrictions ever were introduced — protecting not just on-farm fuel use but livestock movement, processing, transport and exports. The Government considers Phase 4 unlikely, but confirms food and freight would remain priority areas if that point were reached.   Westgold butter tops Consumer NZ blind taste test West Coast butter has beaten every supermarket rival in a blind tasting test conducted by Consumer New Zealand — and Westland Milk Products says the secret is no secret at all. Westgold topped the panel on taste, with testers describing it as complex, rich, salty and decadent. Westland CEO Alex Turnbull says the result confirms what the West Coast has always known — grass-fed cows on some of New Zealand's most remote and lush pastures produce exceptional cream, and exceptional cream makes exceptional butter. Westgold butter sales in New Zealand have grown around forty percent over the past four years, with global demand also rising. Westland Milk Products CEO Alex Turnbull joins us shortly on CountryWide Connect.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.