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.
A new governance and representation structure for Fonterra will be passed today.
Early voting figures showed more than 85% of farmer shareholders have approved reducing the board size to 11 — made up of seven farmer-elected and four independent directors.
About 100 farmer shareholders are attending a special meeting in Palmerston North today and will cast their votes soon.
Fonterra chairman John Wilson announced at the meeting that as at 10,30am today, 85.45% of farmers have voted in support.
The co-op needs 75% support to change its constitution.
The board’s last attempt to pass the changes attracted only 64% support.
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.
A Hawke's Bay apple orchardist supports the Government's objective of doubling exports but says this won't happen in the horticulture sector unless there's a change in the process for bringing new plant material into the country.
Canterbury arable farmers are down by tens of millions of dollars after a rollercoaster of wild changeable January weather saw harvests delayed and some crops destroyed by violent hailstorms.
Could a breakthrough in fermentation create a new multi-million-dollar export market for shiitake mushroom extracts into China?
Meadow Fresh has created the world's first fantasy sports league powered by real cows.

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