Make the right decision, Peters urges Fonterra farmers
New Zealand First leader and Foreign Minister Winston Peters is ratcheting up pressure on Fonterra farmers as they vote on divesting the co-operative’s consumer and related businesses.
Fonterra Shareholders Council chairman Duncan Coull says today’s arbitration decision on the claims made by Danone has made this a tough day for the co-op.
Coul says it is farmer owners who will ultimately bear the cost, a fact he says is not lost on the Fonterra business.
He says Fonterra has made significant strides since the 2013 incident in terms of strengthening its operational processes, culture, and governance – as per the independent review process recommendations – and embedding them into our co-op’s functions and framework.
“Council is confident this has been done to a high standard and that our co-op is well placed in its journey to become the world’s most trusted source of dairy nutrition.”
The council was also confident the co-op acted with integrity when it issued the precautionary recall.
“Do What’s Right is one of our four values and in continuing to put safety ahead of all else we will build on the trust people throughout the world have in us.
“As tough as this outcome is, the lessons learned have enabled our co-op to emerge stronger and we now need to move forward together - proud of who we are, what we have achieved, and of our commitment to our values.”
Relationships are key to opening new trading opportunities and dealing with some of the rules that countries impose that impede the free flow of trade.
Dawn Meats chief executive Niall Browne says their joint venture with Alliance Group will create “a dynamic industry competitor”.
Tributes have flowed following the death of former Prime Minister and political and business leader, Jim Bolger. He was 90.
A drop in methane targets announced by the Government this month has pleased farmers but there are concerns that without cross-party support, the targets would change once a Labour-led Government is voted into office.
Farmer shareholders of meat processor Alliance have voted in favour of a proposed $270 million joint venture investment by Irish company, Dawn Meats.
The former chair of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council and farmer, Doug Leeder, says rural communities' biggest fear right now is the lack of long-term certainty over environmental regulations.
OPINION: Voting is underway for Fonterra’s divestment proposal, with shareholders deciding whether or not sell its consumer brands business.
OPINION: Politicians and Wellington bureaucrats should take a leaf out of the book of Canterbury District Police Commander Superintendent Tony Hill.