MPI Begins Statutory Review of Dairy Industry Restructuring Act
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced on 19 May 2026 that the Ministry for Primary Industries has published the terms of reference for the statutory review of the Dairy Industry Restructuring Act 2001.
Regulation and Markets Conduct Reporter · 20/05/2026 · 08:39 NZT · 6 min read
"The review will examine whether the DIRA's current competition provisions that regulate Fonterra remain necessary, fit-for-purpose, and achieve net benefits for our dairy sector."Todd McClay, Agriculture Minister
Kotahi's 4,000 TEU of dairy, meat and horticulture cargo stranded by the Strait of Hormuz closure shows how New Zealand's geography converts geopolitical shocks into sustained higher costs for primary exporters.
WorkSafe New Zealand charged WasteCo NZ Ltd on or around May 4 2026 with three alleged breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 following the May 2025 death of worker Lynda Marion Kelly at the Te Anau transfer station.
The Government will increase the minimum rent contribution for social housing tenants from 25 per cent to 30 per cent of income from April 2027, lifting weekly costs for around 84,000 households by an average of $31 while generating $387.5 million in operating savings over the forecast period.
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced on 19 May 2026 that the Ministry for Primary Industries has published the terms of reference for the statutory review of the Dairy Industry Restructuring Act 2001.
The review will test whether the Act's special competition rules for Fonterra remain necessary, fit for purpose and deliver net benefits to the sector. It must report to Parliament by 1 June 2027 after two rounds of public consultation.
"The review will examine whether the DIRA's current competition provisions that regulate Fonterra remain necessary, fit-for-purpose, and achieve net benefits for our dairy sector." — Todd McClay, Agriculture Minister
The current review will assess whether the provisions should be retained, repealed or amended.
A regime built for a 96% market share
The Dairy Industry Restructuring Act was enacted in 2001 to facilitate the merger that created Fonterra. At formation Fonterra collected 96 percent of New Zealand's bovine milk solids. The Act added open entry and exit rules for farmer suppliers, regulated milk access for rival processors and transparency requirements around the farmgate milk price. These provisions sit above the general competition rules in the Commerce Act 1986.
Fonterra's market share has since declined to above 70 percent in recent seasons. Previous DIRA reviews examined environmental impacts, land use change and whether Fonterra's dominance still warranted tailored rules.
Fonterra's Maungaturoto processing plant — one of many facilities whose regulatory settings are under review as MPI examines whether DIRA's bespoke competition rules remain fit for purpose. Elizabeth Clark · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Record exports, deep regional stakes
New Zealand dairy exports reached a record $27.15 billion in the year to June 2025. Revenue is forecast to rise to $27.4 billion in the year to June 2026. The sector employs just under 55,000 people and supports roughly 8,000 to 10,000 dairy farmer shareholders.
NZ Dairy Export Revenue
Record 2024/25 earnings and MPI forecast for 2025/26.
Source: MPI Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries; Farmers Weekly
Commerce Commission's parallel oversight role
The Commerce Commission conducts two statutory reviews each season of Fonterra's Milk Price Manual and base milk price calculation. It must report by 15 September each year on whether the processes support efficiency and contestability.
Fonterra materials highlight stable transparent milk prices and global market access for farmers. Industry commentary notes efficiency gains from scale while stressing the need to preserve farmer choice and new entrant opportunities.
Regional and macroeconomic implications
Regional economies in Waikato, Canterbury, Bay of Plenty and Southland could see second-order effects from any changes to processing competition or investment signals. Treasury and MPI forecasts already assume dairy's $27-plus billion export contribution. Any regulatory shift could influence farmgate returns, processor margins and export competitiveness over the next 12 to 24 months.
