Farmers' call
OPINION: Fonterra's $4.22 billion consumer business sale to Lactalis is ruffling a few feathers outside the dairy industry.
Former Fonterra director Greg Gent says boards of 13 are prehistoric.
Gent was commenting on early results showing over 54% support for a motion to reduce the size of the board to nine.
He thanked Fonterra shareholders for their support.
"Getting 54% support from a turnout of 73% (based on milk solids) is great," he says.
Gent says he will not be standing for the board again.
"Our motion has always been about a fitter and leaner board for shareholders."
The motion requires 75% support to change the constitution and will not achieve that.
About 300 Fonterra shareholders at the meeting have cast their votes and they are being counted; during debate it appeared that shareholders at the meeting were split almost 50/50 on the issue.
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.
OPINION: The phasing out of copper network from communications is understandable.