...Fonterra Co-operative Group said it had urged the Sanlu Group board to call for a full recall of the milk powder on Aug. 2, the day the board was notified -- nearly six weeks before the recall action was taken.

...

New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark said she instructed her senior ministers to notify Chinese officials in Beijing about the issue three days after she learned Sept. 5 that Fonterra had been trying for weeks to get provincial authorities in China order the recall.

"I think Fonterra, from the advice I have had, has behaved responsibly at all times, but it has been dealing in a political system at a local level in China where the inclination is to cover things up, but I have to say once we blew the whistle in Beijing they moved very fast," she said.

Chinese officials said they did not learn of the issue until last Monday, the day Clark said her ministers were instructed to notify officials in Beijing.