Farmers' call
OPINION: Fonterra's $4.22 billion consumer business sale to Lactalis is ruffling a few feathers outside the dairy industry.
At last we see Fonterra shareholders asking questions about its supposed watchdog, the shareholders council.
After years of rubber stamping strategy and executive performance now revealed as fairly average, the council has earned a reputation as being more lapdog than watchdog. Concerned shareholders now want answers.
They have put a resolution for the Fonterra annual meeting demanding an independent review of the council, to be completed mid-2020 with any constitutional changes tabled at the 2020 annual meeting.
Crucially, they don’t want another internal whitewash review: they rightly say it must be independent. Milking It has long held doubts about the council’s independence, given it is a proven gateway to plum board positions within the Fonterra network.
Off the back of a $605 million loss this review is a no-brainer. The watchdog has been caught napping on the job.
Brett Wotton, an Eastern Bay of Plenty kiwifruit grower and harvest contractor, has won the 2025 Kiwifruit Innovation Award for his work to support lifting fruit quality across the industry.
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.
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