Farmers' call
OPINION: Fonterra's $4.22 billion consumer business sale to Lactalis is ruffling a few feathers outside the dairy industry.
Fonterra's chairman Henry van der Heyden says the board regrets Simon Couper's decision to stand down as Shareholders Council chairman.
"But if Simon is uncomfortable, he has done the right thing by the cooperative," he says.
"The board is grateful to Simon for his eight years of service to Fonterra."
Couper resigned yesterday after expressing reservations about TAF's ability to maintain 100% farmer control and ownership. The new chairman Ian Brown has expressed support for TAF.
Van der Heyden says the Shareholder Council had pulled out all stops to complete their due diligence on TAF in order to provide shareholders with their independent evaluation of the package before farmers had their final vote on June 25.
"When we are making such a significant decision to protect the cooperative, it is important that the board and council are able to stand shoulder to shoulder. So the board is delighted to have council's support," Sir Henry said.
"When we announced the special meeting we said that we wanted to have this final vote to unify the cooperative. With board and council unified on Trading Among Farmers we are now a long way down that track."
The notice of meeting pack will be mailed to shareholders at the end of next week and the board is encouraging all shareholders to exercise their vote and to have their say.
Academic Dr Mike Joy and his employer, Victoria University of Wellington have apologised for his comments suggesting that dairy industry CEOs should be hanged for contributing towards nitrate poisoning of waterways.
Environment Southland's catchment improvement funding is once again available for innovative landowners in need of a boost to get their project going.
The team meeting at the Culverden Hotel was relaxed and open, despite being in the middle of calving when stress levels are at peak levels, especially in bitterly cold and wet conditions like today.
A comment by outspoken academic Dr Mike Joy suggesting that dairy industry leaders should be hanged for nitrate contamination of drinking/groundwater has enraged farmers.
OPINION: The phasing out of copper network from communications is understandable.
Driven by a lifelong passion for animals, Amy Toughey's journey from juggling three jobs with full-time study to working on cutting-edge dairy research trials shows what happens when hard work meets opportunity - and she's only just getting started.