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.
Eight Fonterra Shareholders Council members have been returned unopposed for another three-year term.
They are Penny Smart, Central Northland, Julie Pirie, Hauraki / Coromandel, Grant Wills, Matamata, Kevin Ferris, Te Awamutu, Rob Poole, Egmont Plains, Charles Whirehead, Ashburton, Ad Bekkers, Otago and Vaughan Templeton, western Southland.
However, an election is required in four seats.
For the Eastern Bay of Plenty, Gerard van Beek and Wilson James will battle it out. Northern Taranaki is also a two-way battle between Mark Hooper and Kevin Turnbull.
In Hawke's Bay, four candidates are registered - Eliot Cooper, David Hands, Andrew Hardie and Ivan Knauf.
The Tasman / Marlborough election will feature Sue Brown, Neil Sixtus and Wayne Langford.
Nominations for the elections closed yesterday.
The candidates for the Fonterra board of directors' election will be announced on Tuesday, 13 October 2015 following the completion of the Candidate Assessment Panel (CAP) process.
The returning officer, Warwick Lampp, confirmed there will be no election required for the Directors' Remuneration Committee, as shareholders David Gasquoine and Stephen Silcock have been elected unopposed.
Voting Packs, containing candidate profiles, will be mailed to eligible shareholders on Friday, 30 October 2015.
Shareholders can vote by internet, fax or post, using the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system.
The voting period is from Friday, 30 October until 10.30am on Monday, 23 November 2015 with the results being announced later that day. Fonterra's annual meeting will be held at Waitoa on November 25.
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.
An increasing number of students are doing agricultural and horticultural degrees at Massey University by distance learning.
ANZ New Zealand is encouraging farmers and businesses impacted by the recent extreme weather that hit Southland and South Otago last week to seek support if they need it.
When Professor Pierre Venter takes up his new role as vice chancellor at Massey University next February it will just be a matter of taking a few steps across the road to get to his new office at the Palmerston North Campus.