Battle for milk
OPINION: Fonterra may be on the verge of selling its consumer business in New Zealand, but the co-operative is not keen on giving any ground to its competitors in the country.
Fonterra director Malcolm Bailey says there is a "clear 50/50 split" among shareholders on the issue of governance.
Bailey, who chairs the board's governance review committee, was speaking at the annual general meeting in Waitoa today.
His comments came as early results saw 54.4% support for a resolution to reduce the board to nine members- six elected and three appointed.
Shareholders at the meeting are yet to cast their votes so the final result is still a few hours away.
The motion, moved by former directors Greg Gent and Colin Armer, is unlikely to get 75% support needed to change the constitution.
Bailey says both Gent and Armer are well regarded in the co-op.
"It's no surprise that they have received strong support," he says.
Fonterra chairman John Wilson will be commenting on the voting result soon.
Keratin biomaterials company Keraplast and Wools of New Zealand have signed a new superpremium wool contract which is said to deliver a boost to wool growers.
While things are looking positive for the red meat sector in 2026, volatility in global trade remains a concern, says the Meat Industry Association (MIA).
The quest to find innovative practical, scientific solutions to deal with water-related issues at a catchment level has been the theme of an important conference at Massey University last week.
One of the country's top Māori farms faces a long and costly rebuild to get the property back to where it was before recent storms ripped through it.
The latest Global Dairy Trade auction results have delivered a boost to dairy farmers.
New Zealand potato growers are prioritising value creation from high yields to meet a complex mix of challenges and opportunities, says Potatoes NZ chief executive Kate Trufitt.