Editorial: Punching Above Our Weight
OPINION: With 10,500 dairy farms, New Zealand continues to punch above its weight around the world.
Nominations for the Fonterra Board of Directors’ election open today with an election to be held for two farmer-elected directors.
This year, Andy Macfarlane and Donna Smit retire by rotation.
Macfarlane has confirmed he will stand for re-election and Smit announced last month she would be retiring from the Board.
The Independent Assessment Process will be run first with a nomination period of 5-19 August 2022.
The Independently Assessed candidates will be assessed by an Independent Selection Panel made up of Tony Carter (chair of My Food Bag, TR Group and Datacom Group), Joan Withers (chair of The Warehouse Group) and Rob Campbell (Chair of Health NZ, Environment Protection Authority and NZ Rural Land).
The selection panel’s role is to shortlist and recommend the best candidates to shareholders.
The returning officer will announce the Independent Assessment Process candidates on 19 September 2022.
The Non-Assessment Process, where farmers can put themselves forward as a candidate for the Board outside the Independent Assessment Process, will follow with the nomination period running from 19 - 29 September 2022.
The returning officer will confirm all directors’ election candidates on Friday, 30 September 2022.
The director election will be held using the first past the post system via postal and online voting by Fonterra shareholders.
A Palmerston North shearer has been sentenced to six months' community detention and 12 months' supervision after being found to have physically abused three lambs while shearing them.
Power Farming has launched a joint venture in Southland.
Food rescue charity Meet the Need has released its 2025/26 Impact Report, revealing a record year of growth alongside a stark warning: demand for food support across New Zealand is rising faster than supply can keep up.
As we move into the second half of 2026, the Tractor and Machinery Association (TAMA) reports that Year-to-Date figures ending June 30 saw new tractor deliveries hitting 1,386 units or 10.7% ahead of the same period in 2025.
The avocado sector is entering the new season with a larger crop and positive market opportunities.
New Zealand growers have always adapted to changing conditions, but one challenge is steadily gaining ground across the horticulture sector: resistance.

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