Data sharing initiative wins national award for saving farmers time
The work Fonterra has done with Ballance Agri-Nutrients Ltd, LIC and Ravensdown to save farmers time through better data connections has been recognised with a national award.
More Fonterra farmers are joining the call for an independent review of the co-op’s shareholders council.
But two farmer resolutions on the council’s future role as a shareholder watchdog are opposed by Fonterra’s board and the council. The board is asking farmers to vote against both proposals.
The two resolutions, to be voted at the co-op’s annual meeting in Invercargill next month, were filed separately: one by Lumsden farmer Tony Paterson and another by Waikato farmers led by Trevor Simpson, Jim Cotman, Mark Peters and Malcolm Lumsden.
Paterson’s resolution calls for an independent review of the council immediately after the AGM on November 7.
The Waikato farmers want a change in the way the council monitors the co-op’s performance. They want a performance committee of councillors and independent experts who would report twice yearly to all shareholders.
Fonterra’s board and the council are opposing both resolutions, on the grounds that the council has already announced an internal review.
But the Fonterra farmers point out that the council only announced its review after the two resolutions were filed before the deadline for AGM remits.
Simpson says his group supports Paterson’s resolution calling for an independent review: he isn’t surprised by the board’s and council’s stance on their resolution.
“Our position is that we don’t want just any review – we want an independent review. At the end of the day the council’s internal review falls short of what shareholders want,” he told Rural News.
“The difference is that the council wants to hold another internal review and shareholders want an independent review.”
Paterson said farmer response to his remit has been “very positive”.
He’s happy for farmers to support both resolutions.
“I don’t know why the board and council fear an independent review. Let the shareholders decide what they want.”
Simpson says their resolution was drawn up after consultation with farmers in Waikato. The group also met Fonterra chairman John Monaghan two months ago to give him a heads-up on their resolution.
He says some farmer shareholders believe the council has failed to perform its duty as a “watchdog” for shareholders.
“No business can audit itself. Shareholders no longer want Fonterra directors, staff or their own shareholders telling them about Fonterra’s performance.
“Such information, with the best will, is received with a degree of scepticism. The time has arrived for us to mature sufficiently to want to hear the view on Fonterra’s performance from outside our ranks: in other words, some good ongoing independent analysis and informed views on the performance.”
Simpson is urging farmers to support both resolutions and send a clear signal to the board and council that farmers want things to change in the performance monitoring of their co-op.
Managing director of Woolover Ltd, David Brown, has put a lot of effort into verifying what seems intuitive, that keeping newborn stock's core temperature stable pays dividends by helping them realise their full genetic potential.
Within the next 10 years, New Zealand agriculture will need to manage its largest-ever intergenerational transfer of wealth, conservatively valued at $150 billion in farming assets.
Boutique Waikato cheese producer Meyer Cheese is investing in a new $3.5 million facility, designed to boost capacity and enhance the company's sustainability credentials.
OPINION: The Government's decision to rule out changes to Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) that would cost every farmer thousands of dollars annually, is sensible.
Compensation assistance for farmers impacted by Mycoplama bovis is being wound up.
Selecting the reverse gear quicker than a lovestruck boyfriend who has met the in-laws for the first time, the Coalition Government has confirmed that the proposal to amend Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) charged against farm utes has been canned.
OPINION: Dust ups between rural media and PR types aren't unheard of but also aren't common, given part of the…
OPINION: The Hound hears from his canine pals in Southland that an individual's derogatory remarks on social media have left…