Farmers' call
OPINION: Fonterra's $4.22 billion consumer business sale to Lactalis is ruffling a few feathers outside the dairy industry.
Fonterra's board is holding a special meeting this afternoon to decide whether TAF (trading among farmers) will go ahead.
Votes cast at eight meeting venues around the country are now being counted. The meeting ended at 1.35pm.
Fonterra chairman Henry van der Heyden says he has convened a special board meeting this afternoon.
"Once the votes are counted and the results are out, the board will decide whether to proceed with TAF," he told the Hamilton meeting.
Van der Heyden says he will email shareholders on the board decision before holding a media conference.
He has asked for "a clear mandate" from shareholders.
Meanwhile Federated Farmers Dairy chairman Willy Leferink is urging shareholders to respect the board's decision.
"I urge shareholders to show respect to whatever decision the board makes this afternoon," he told farmers from the Ashburton meeting.
He thanks the Fonterra board for holding the second vote on TAF.
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.