Fonterra, Sharesies join to make share trading easier
Fonterra is teaming up with wealth app provider Sharesies to make it easier for its farmer shareholders to trade co-op shares among themselves.
Deputy Prime Minister Bill English says farmers should not put the blame on Fonterra.
On the co-ops performance, English says during a downturn there is always a temptation to blame; however that's a product of world supply.
"You can't expect Fonterra to be setting the world price."
He is confident that whatever Fonterra is discussing with its shareholders it is helping farmers maintain a cohesive and confident view of the future.
Fonterra is expecting milk production to be lower by 4% this season. English says this allows the co-op to focus on its volume-to-value strategy. More milk is going into higher value products.
Shareholders and the Government would like to think more could have happened sooner, English says.
"But Fonterra has had to deal with this big surge in production over recent years so they are now well geared up with the right attitude to push more volume into high value added products.
"In five years that's how farmers will judge them: on how the co-op has succeeded in turning more milk into high value products."
However, English notes that higher value added products would always be risky investments; Fonterra's product range will always be underpinned by a base load of competitive production of milk powder commodity type products.
Rural banker Rabobank is partnering with Food Rescue Kitchen on a new TV series which airs this weekend that aims to shine a light on the real and growing issues of food waste, food poverty and social isolation in New Zealand.
Telco infrastructure provider Chorus says that it believes all Kiwis – particularly those in the rural areas – need access to high-speed, reliable broadband.
World Veterinary Day falls on Saturday 27 April.
The Director General of MPI, Ray Smith says it's important for his department to celebrate the success of a whole range of groups and people around the country.
A small company which mobilised veterinarians around the country to deal with Mycoplasma bovis was one of the winners in this year's Biosecurity Awards, held at Parliament.
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