Tuesday, 23 November 2021 11:55

Anti co-operative?

Written by  Milking It

OPINION: Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor has thrown a spanner in the works as far as Fonterra’s proposed capital structure is concerned.

He wants unspecified “alternative measures” otherwise Parliament won’t pass regulatory changes needed for the new structure to become effective.

O’Connor’s stance is going against the wishes of Fonterra’s 10,000 farmer shareholders, who have helped the board draft the capital structure proposal so that it remains 100% farmer owned and controlled.

But O’Connor was singing a different tune when Westland Milk, located on his home patch, was sold to a Chinese buyer two years ago.

He was unhappy with the co-op being offloaded to an overseas buyer and even wished Fonterra had bought the Hokitika-based business.

More like this

Price cut coming?

OPINION: Dipping global dairy prices have already resulted in Irish farmers facing a price cut from processors.

Sugar hit

OPINION: Winston Peters has described the decision to sell its brand to Lactalis and disperse the profit to its farmer shareholders as a 'short sighted sugar hit'.

Featured

National

Machinery & Products

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Price cut coming?

OPINION: Dipping global dairy prices have already resulted in Irish farmers facing a price cut from processors.

Butter price melt

OPINION: Are the heydays of soaring global demand for butter over?

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter