The intended chairman of Farmlands Co-Operative, Rob Hewett, expects to take over a business in good heart and well-placed for the future.

Silver Fern Farms Cooperative has reported a net profit before tax of $2.4m for the 2018 financial year.

Applications for Silver Fern Farms Cooperative’s first board appointed farmer directors are open.

Farming cooperatives have dominated the awards made this year by Cooperative Business New Zealand (CBNZ).

Meat company Silver Fern Farms has turned around its fortunes during the last year from a $30 million loss to a profit of just over $15m.

Meat processor Silver Fern Farms Cooperative has reported a net profit after tax of $7.8 million for 15 months ending December 31, 2017.

Meat company Silver Fern Farms has poached a top executive from Zespri to be its new chief executive next year.

Silver Fern Farms chief executive Dean Hamilton will leave the company end of the year.

The red meat sector is too commodity-focused and must move further up the value chain, says Silver Fern Farms chairman Rob Hewett.

Silver Fern Farms (SFF) is urging its non-shared farmer suppliers to become shareholders.