Tatua's just too-good
OPINION: Earlier this month, small Waikato milk processor Tatua reminded the country that it’s still number one when it comes to paying farmers for their milk.
A long serving director of Waikato milk processor Tatua Co-operative Dairy has resigned after an offensive social media post relating to Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta.
Ross Townshend, an independent director of Tatua since 2009 and a former agribusiness leader, is no longer on the board, chairman Steve Allen confirmed today.
Allen says he will be contacting Mahuta’s office “to provide an explanation and a personal apology”.
In a Facebook post made on November 9, Townshend makes disparaging remarks about Mahuta’s traditional tattoo (moko) and how it may be perceived during her 17-day overseas trip that began last Thursday.
Mahuta was in Australia last week. She is also visiting Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, the US and Canada.
In UAE she will support New Zealand's exhibition at Expo 2020 and host the festival of indigenous and tribal ideas Te Aratini.
Mahuta, the MP for Hauraki-Waikato and the Minister of Local Government, is also spearheading the Three Waters reforms that is facing a public backlash.
Townshend is a former executive of the NZ Dairy Group and held international senior executive positions within the meat, packaging, food and wool industries. He is a food technologist by background.
One of his Facebook posts says he was the co-ordinator of the Groundswell protest in July this year.
Allen says on Monday evening, Townshend’s “highly inappropriate messaging on social media in relation to a Minister of Parliament” was brought to his attention.
“Mr Townshend’s personal views and the way he chose to express them are incompatible with Tatua’s culture and values.
“Therefore, his actions left me with no other course of action than to accept his resignation on behalf of the Tatua board of directors.”
Allen says over the 25 years that he has been involved as a director of Tatua, including 18 years as chairman, the company has had mutually respectful and warm relationships with ministers and government officials of all parties.
“We also have incredibly good and long-standing relationships with our community, including local iwi.
“An incident of such offensive disrespect is simply not who we are,” says Allen.
An independent report, prepared for Alliance farmer shareholders is backing the proposed $250 million joint venture investment by Irish company Dawn Meats Group.
Whangarei field service technician, Bryce Dickson has cemented his place in John Deere’s history, becoming the first ever person to win an award for the third time at the annual Australian and New Zealand Technician of the Year Awards, announced at a gala dinner in Brisbane last night.
NZPork has appointed Auckland-based Paul Bucknell as its new chair.
The Government claims to have delivered on its election promise to protect productive farmland from emissions trading scheme (ETS) but red meat farmers aren’t happy.
Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks could have a detrimental impact on any country's rural sector, as seen in the United Kingdom's 2000 outbreak that saw the compulsory slaughter of over six million animals.
The Ministry for the Environment is joining as a national award sponsor in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA from next year).
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