Fonterra MVM

In 2019, Fonterra initiated the Milk Vat Monitoring (MVM) project, installing smart sensors on the milk bulk tanks of its 9,000 farm suppliers in New Zealand. Fonterra approached Halo to develop an on-farm solution to ensure and maintain an efficient supply chain from on farm milk vats to processing factories. The project required robust on farm hardware that captured milk inlet temperature, milk vat temperature, agitator motor run feedback and vat volume.

Fonterra’s milk vat monitoring project required Halo to develop robust on-farm hardware that captured milk inlet temperature, milk vat temperature, agitator motor run feedback and vat volume. Halo also generates alerts to on farm workers if exceptions are met that will affect the milk quality, this data is shared via API with Fonterra for management of supply chain and milk quality.

Significant improvements in operational efficiency, milk quality, and sustainable productivity. The partnership delivered compelling ROI through cost savings and enhanced resource management. By storing raw milk at lower temperatures on farms, Fonterra has experiences a range of benefits:

• Optimised logistics: Reduced milk tanker fleet by 17, leading to significant cost savings.
• Increased efficiency: Accurate milking times allowed for better collection scheduling, saving time across 9,000 farms.
• Reduced waste: 50% less insurance letters on farm from milk spoilage due to temperature issues.
• Improved sustainability: Fewer tankers on the road, leading to more sustainable production practices.
• Enhanced compliance: Comprehensive data collection for better monitoring and reporting.
• Improved milk quality: Higher traceability and quality, reducing waste and increasing farmer oversight.

In the news

Dairy News: New milk vat monitoring systems for Fonterra farmers