Feds make case for rural bank lending probe
Bankers have been making record profits in the last few years, but those aren’t the only records they’ve been breaking, says Federated Farmers vice president Richard McIntyre.
Federated Farmers has welcomed the 89.51% vote in favour of constitutional safeguards around Trading Among Farmers (TAF).
"We can finally put the ghost of June's TAF vote to bed where the concept was backed but not the constitutional safeguards," says Willy Leferink, Federated Farmers Dairy Chairperson.
"A 89.51% vote is nearly as comprehensive as you can possibly get and Fonterra shareholders have shown good judgment.
"I think the focus of Fonterra shareholder-farmers can turn back to farming. The cooperative's board and management now have all of the tools they said they needed. The strength of this vote today needs to be taken on board by directors.
"Speaking of directors, we congratulate John Wilson and Professor Nicola Shadbolt being returned as directors. We also look forward to working with Blue Read after his election to Fonterra's board.
"As chairman, John Wilson now has a clear mandate with the baton firmly passed onto him from Sir Henry van der Heyden."
Lefering also congratulated the newly elected shareholder councillors too. "This includes my immediate past Federated Farmers Dairy vice-chairperson, Robin Barkla, as well as the immediate past Southland provincial dairy chair, Vaughan Templeton," he says.
"Federated Farmers wants Fonterra to be a success but we also want that for Westland, Tatua and companies like Miraka, Synlait and Open Country Cheese. In fact, the entire New Zealand dairy industry."
South Waikato farm manager Ben Purua’s amazing transformation from gang life to milking cows was rewarded with the Ahuwhenua Young Maori Farmer award last night.
Bankers have been making record profits in the last few years, but those aren’t the only records they’ve been breaking, says Federated Farmers vice president Richard McIntyre.
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.