Winston's crusade
OPINION: A short-term sugar hit. That's what NZ First leader Winston Peters is calling the proposed sale of Fonterra's consumer and associated businesses.
A capital structure that gives farmers flexibility is a priority for re-elected Fonterra director Brent Goldsack.
He says the board will have a dialogue with farmers on a capital structure that matches its strategy for more value added earnings and a sustainable milk supply.
Goldsack says the co-operative will remain 100% owned by New Zealand farmers.
The Waikato farmer and former financial adviser with PwC is humbled to be re-elected by farmers for another three-year term. Goldsack polled the highest votes among six candidates.
“It’s a privilege and great honour to serve on the Fonterra board,” he told Dairy News.
“This is an industry and a cooperative that I am positive about. I feel a great sense of responsibility.”
Goldsack says as a director he is part of the team of board members and is proud of what the team has achieved in the last three years.
He lists the revised strategy, changing advance rates for payout and the Co-op Difference programme as some of the board’s achievements.
There’s no doubt a lot of work is ongoing, he adds. Goldsack is currently chair of the co-operative relations committee, a member of the milk price panel, the safety and risk committee, the capital structure committee, the divestment review committee, and the disclosure committee.
In addition, he serves as the Fonterra representative on the ‘Dairy Tomorrow’ Steering Group – which focuses on the strategy for the dairy industry.
He also holds several governance roles, including director of Rabobank and chair of Waitomo Petroleum Group. He was previously on the board of Canterbury Grasslands Limited and the New Zealand National Fieldays Society.
His family owns three dairy farms in the Waikato milking 1,500 cows.
The key to a dairy system that generates high profit with a low emissions intensity is using low footprint feed, says Fonterra program manager on-farm excellence, Louise Cook.
According to a new report, the Safer Rides initiative, which offered farmers heavily discounted crush protection devices (CPDs) for quad bikes, has made a significant impact in raising awareness and action around farm vehicle safety.
OPINION: In the past weeks, much has been said and written about one of New Zealand's greatest prime ministers, James Brendan Bolger, who died just a few months after his 90th birthday.
Following recent storms in the region, the 69th edition of the Tour of Southland cycling event has been postponed.
A function at Parliament on 7th October brought together central government decision-makers, MPs, industry stakeholders and commercial partners to highlight the need for strategic investment in the future of Fieldays and its home, the Mystery Creek Events Centre campus.
The Government's revised 2050 biogenic methane target range of 14-24% by 2050 is being welcomed by dairy farmers.
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