History of the New Zealand Milk Board : a study of the corporatist alliance between the state and the domestic milk sector

Abstract

Although the history of the Milk Board is documented in this report from its conception as the Central Milk Council in 1944 until its dissolution in 1988, there has been no attempt at a definitive historical narrative. The primary concern of this report has been to examine the nature of the relationship between the government and the town milk industry that has structured the administration of the milk service. The theory of corporatism which has been utilised in the study of interest groups' political interaction with the government, has been of value in many case histories of milk industries. Thus corporatist theory has also informed this examination of the political context of the regulatory Milk Board regime's path through regulation and deregulation. The history of the Town Milk Service is presented in this manner to increase understanding of both the nature of regulatory board structures and of government involvement in agricultural management. Further, it will be of value to administrators of emerging milk industries who may be exploring different organisational options that best serve the development of their liquid milk service.