Court rejects Greenpeace's attempt to block green hydrogen project
An attempt by Greenpeace to block the consent of a green hydrogen project involving fertiliser co-operative Ballance has been dismissed by the Court of Appeal.
The ranks of Ballance shareholders continue to grow with latest signings of more than 1000 new members bringing shareholder numbers up to a record 19,253.
This follows a boost to the agri-nutrient cooperative’s shareholder numbers in the prior financial year, when another 1000 new farmers signed up to benefit from rebates and dividends.
Taking into account shareholdings redeemed the net increase in shareholders since 2013 totals 936.
Ballance chair David Peacocke says the continued growth trend is pleasing and reflects ongoing confidence in the co-operative.
“This year our solid financial performance meant we were able to return some cash to farmers early, announcing and paying our rebate and dividend averaging $60 per tonne in the same week.”
The rebate, averaging $55.83 a tonne along with a 10-cent dividend per share saw a total distribution to shareholders of $76 million paid on 31 July. This equates to 94% of Ballance’s $81 million gross trading result. A total of $54 million was paid out in cash.
“The early rebate payment has been met with a huge positive response from our shareholders, who’ve really appreciated the injection of cash on-farm at a time when cash flow is limited,” says Peacocke.
“We are seeing farm sizes grow and actual farm numbers decrease, so we are doing well to attract new shareholders while retaining those on the registry. Our consistent track record with rebates and our good dividend performance work in our favour, alongside our policy of keeping our products as competitive as they can be, taking into account market movements in fertiliser demand and pricing.”
Returns to shareholders vary according to tonnages and product purchased over the financial year, but a fully paid up shareholder who purchased 100 tonnes received about $6000 this year, says Peacocke.
In a win for rural advocacy groups, New Zealand’s five largest banks have agreed to keep regional branches open for three more years.
It’s World Milk Day today (June 1), a time to celebrate the vital role that milk, and dairy products play in our lives and acknowledge the tremendous contributions of the New Zealand dairy sector.
A Waikato accountant says dairy farmers putting together their budget for 2025 won’t have much to cheer for even with an $8/kgMS forecast milk price.
Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford says the Coalition Government’s first budget unveiled yesterday has no frills or surprises.
In the rural landscapes of New Zealand and Ireland, a shared agricultural heritage thrives, built on a strong mixture of tradition and innovation, with mirror image climates earning both countries global acclaim for their food quality and sustainable agriculture.
The National Fieldays brings together farmers, innovators, industry leaders, and rural enthusiasts.
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