Farmers' call
OPINION: Fonterra's $4.22 billion consumer business sale to Lactalis is ruffling a few feathers outside the dairy industry.
A mate of the Hound reckons Fonterra's Shareholder Council has proven it's nothing more than a lapdog of the Fonterra board rather than a watchdog for the co-op's farmer shareholders.
He suggests the council's directive to farmers not to vote for the Gent/Armer resolution at the recent annual meeting has removed any doubt about its poodle status. Your canine crusader notes that the council has been accused of being a lapdog since Fonterra's formation and it's pretty hard to argue against the claim when something like three of its former chairmen have gone on to become Fonterra directors – including the current chairman 'Little' Johnny Wilson.
Brett Wotton, an Eastern Bay of Plenty kiwifruit grower and harvest contractor, has won the 2025 Kiwifruit Innovation Award for his work to support lifting fruit quality across the industry.
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.