Make the right decision, Peters urges Fonterra farmers
New Zealand First leader and Foreign Minister Winston Peters is ratcheting up pressure on Fonterra farmers as they vote on divesting the co-operative’s consumer and related businesses.
Fonterra shareholders have approved the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers as auditors for another year despite reservations from some shareholders.
A resolution to re-appoint PwC was backed by 85.59% of farmers who took part in the vote.
At the co-op’s annual general meeting yesterday, former director and Northland farmer Greg Gent opposed the resolution.
Gent says he felt the relationship between PwC and Fonterra had “become too close”.
Gent says it was time to look at new auditors.
He also noted that several PwC executives have ended up on the Fonterra board.
Farmer-elected director Brent Goldsack was a partner in PwC for more than 12 years; appointed director Bruce Hassall had a 35-year career at PwC, including seven years as chief executive of its NZ practice.
Fonterra chairman John Monaghan says he was not going to support changing the auditors “on the hoof” at an AGM.
He says Gent’s comments will be considered by the board when deciding the appointment of auditors in 2020.
Other motions passed at the AGM included approving the remuneration of directors; 86.5% voted in support.
A motion by Marlborough farmer Murray Beach to overhaul the co-op’s share structure was voted down; only 12.19% voted in favour.
New Zealand First leader and Foreign Minister Winston Peters is ratcheting up pressure on Fonterra farmers as they vote on divesting the co-operative’s consumer and related businesses.
Alliance Group's Pure South Handpicked 55 Day Aged Beef has been recognised on the world stage, securing top honours at the World Steak Challenge in the Netherlands.
Meat co-operative, Alliance has met with a group of farmer shareholders, who oppose the sale of a controlling stake in the co-op to Irish company Dawn Meats.
Rollovers of quad bikes or ATVs towing calf milk trailers have typically prompted a Safety Alert from Safer Farms, the industry-led organisation dedicated to fostering a safer farming culture across New Zealand.
The Government has announced it has invested $8 million in lower methane dairy genetics research.
A group of Kiwi farmers are urging Alliance farmer-shareholders to vote against a deal that would see the red meat co-operative sell approximately $270 million in shares to Ireland's Dawn Meats.
OPINION: Voting is underway for Fonterra’s divestment proposal, with shareholders deciding whether or not sell its consumer brands business.
OPINION: Politicians and Wellington bureaucrats should take a leaf out of the book of Canterbury District Police Commander Superintendent Tony Hill.