Survey shows most Fonterra farmers plan to use capital return for debt reduction
A large slice of the $3.2 billion proposed capital return for Fonterra farmer shareholders could end up with the banks.
In a blow to Fonterra's trading among farmers (TAF) proposal, Simon Couper has resigned his position as Chair of the Fonterra Shareholders' Council effective immediately.
Couper's unexpected resignation came about due to his "lack of comfort with some aspects of the Trading Among Farmers proposal".
The Council today endorsed Council's Deputy Chair, Ian Brown to move into the position of Chair.
Fonterra has had trouble quelling unrest among its shareholder base about the detail of TAF and has already had to take it back to a second vote, which is due in June. Couper's departure will be seized upon by the TAF opponents that Fonterra has positioned as "a vocal minority".
As statement issued by Couper's replacement, Ian Brown, simply says "the Council would like to thank Simon for the dedication he brought to the Council over the past eight years."
BNZ says it is backing aspiring dairy farmers through an innovative new initiative that helps make the first step to farm ownership or sharemilking a little easier.
LIC chief executive David Chin says meeting the revised methane reduction targets will rely on practical science, smart technology, and genuine collaboration across the sector.
Lincoln University Dairy Farm will be tweaking some management practices after an animal welfare complaint laid in mid-August, despite the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) investigation into the complaint finding no cause for action.
A large slice of the $3.2 billion proposed capital return for Fonterra farmer shareholders could end up with the banks.
Opening a new $3 million methane research barn in Waikato this month, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay called on the dairy sector to “go as fast as you can and prove the concepts”.
New Zealand’s trade with the European Union has jumped $2 billion since a free trade deal entered into force in May last year.