McIvor moving to OSPRI
Beef + Lamb New Zealand chief executive for the past eight years, Sam McIvor is heading for new pastures at Ospri, which runs NZ’s integrated animal disease management and traceability service.
Beef + Lamb NZ's new market development proposals have to go out to affected staff for consultation because it will require some team restructuring, says chairman James Parsons.
"Subject to feedback from staff and also talking to farmers, if everything is lined up we would plan to get going within the next couple of months," he says.
"It involves some long-serving staff and we need to run a thorough and fair process on any proposals. We need to get their feedback; they may have suggestions we haven't thought of."
BLNZ plans to change the emphasis of its marketing to "tell the story" of New Zealand's red meat and incline towards new market opportunities which differ from established markets the meat companies are already heavily involved in.
Parsons says so far farmers' feedback has been positive.
"It's a new way of marketing the product underpinned by the NZ red meat sector 'story' – very much on our values and philosophy and our way of producing the product," he told Rural News.
"There is an overwhelming desire by farmers for that story to be told; that's unique, that's our signature.
"But farmers by nature have a healthy scepticism, so they say 'okay, the direction of travel sounds good, but we will reserve our judgement until we see some results'.
"There is strong recognition that the story needs to be told. We have had reasonably positive feedback in that regard."
Parsons says the changes to market development do not require a vote through BLNZ as there will be no material change in terms of a significant or major transaction under the Companies Act.
However, farmer feedback is welcome. Proposals are outlined in an information pack going out to all on the BLNZ electoral roll in the next month.
The 2023-24 season has been a roller coaster ride for Waikato dairy farmers, according to Federated Farmers dairy section chair, Mathew Zonderop.
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) director general Ray Smith says job cuts announced this morning will not impact the way the Ministry is organised or merge business units.
Scales Corporation is acquiring a number of orchard assets from Bostock Group.
Family and solidarity shone through at the 75 years of Ferdon sale in Otorohanga last month.
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