Farmers' call
OPINION: Fonterra's $4.22 billion consumer business sale to Lactalis is ruffling a few feathers outside the dairy industry.
Fonterra shareholders have voted overwhelming in favour of a resolution to lock in protections around the size of the Fonterra Shareholders' Fund and the integrity of the Farmgate Milk Price.
Resolution 8 was passed with 89.51% support at Fonterra's Annual Meeting in Hamilton today.
The results of the resolutions are:
RESOLUTION RESULT -
% in favour
Resolution 1: Approval of remuneration of Directors 73.73%
Resolution 2: Approval of remuneration of Shareholders' Council 75.85%
Resolution 3: Approval of remuneration of members of Directors' Remuneration Committee 80.21%
Resolution 4: Appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers as auditor and authorisation of the Directors to fix the auditor's remuneration 94.67%
Resolution 5: Approval of Shareholders' Council programme and budget 87.53%
Resolution 6: Ratification of appointment of Sir Ralph Norris 84.91%
Resolution 7: Ratification of appointment of Ralph Waters 88.37%
Resolution 8: Constitutional Changes for Trading Among Farmers 89.51%
SHAREHOLDER PROPOSAL RESULT -
% in favour
McKenzie Proposal 36.56%
Following the annual meeting, the board formally confirmed chair Elect John Wilson as the chairman of Fonterra.
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.
Driven by a lifelong passion for animals, Amy Toughey's journey from juggling three jobs with full-time study to working on cutting-edge dairy research trials shows what happens when hard work meets opportunity - and she's only just getting started.