Fonterra is defending its use of palm kernel by-products, in the face of a Greenpeace protest on a ship.
Five activists boarded the MV Great Motion, aiming to stop it unloading 10,000 tonnes of animal feed.
The dairy cooperative says a palm kernel by-product makes up about 1% of the dairy cow diet and it’s mainly used during drought.
A spokeswoman says Fonterra shares people’s concerns about tropical deforestation and has made sure its supply is sustainable. She says the company buys the feed from a source which practises a no-burn policy and respects designated conservation areas.
Police are keeping an eye on a Greenpeace protest, officers from New Plymouth have been assigned to protect property, and make sure there’s no breach of the peace.