Winston Peters calls Fonterra vote result 'utter madness'
New Zealand First leader and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has blasted Fonterra farmers shareholders for approving the sale of iconic brands to a French company.
From left: Wang Zhentai (Beingmate Chairman), Fonterra CEO Theo Spierings, PM John Key and Song Kungang (chairman of China Dairy Industry Association) at the celebrations.
Fonterra's partnership with Chinese company Beingmate was celebrated in style last week.
A ceremony in Beijing was attended by Prime Minister John Key, New Zealand ambassador to China John McKinnon, Fonterra chairman John Wilson and chief executive Theo Spierings, and representatives of Beingmate, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Tsinghua University.
A plaque was unveiled to mark the first phase of the NZ-China Environment Cooperation Project and the Fonterra-Beingmate deal.
Spierings says the event marked progress in building an integrated business in China.
"Part of this is building partnerships to sustainably develop the dairy industry and to bring safe, high quality dairy nutrition to Chinese consumers," he says.
The three-year NZ-China Environment Cooperation Project was launched by the Chinese and NZ governments, with support from government agencies and Fonterra. The project explored ways to use stock effluent as a fertiliser to maintain crop productivity, improve soil health and protect water quality.
Fonterra and Beingmate signed an agreement to extend their partnership in maternal and infant nutrition and the Anmum brand in China.
Beingmate chairman Wang Zhentai signed on behalf of Beingmate.
"There has been a strong start to our partnership and we look forward to continuing to build on this. Today's celebration reflects our joint ongoing commitment to Chinese consumers and I believe sets a strong example of win-win cooperation for our two nations," says Wang.
Fonterra and Beingmate started their partnership in August 2014, and formalised it in March 2015 when Fonterra bought 18.82% of Beingmate. The two companies then signed a distribution agreement for Beingmate to sell Fonterra's Anmum-branded products in China and jointly own Fonterra's factory at Darnum, Australia.
The Ashburton-based Carrfields Group continues to show commitment to future growth and in the agricultural sector with its latest investment, the recently acquired 'Spring Farm' adjacent to State Highway 1, Winslow, just south of Ashburton.
New Zealand First leader and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has blasted Fonterra farmers shareholders for approving the sale of iconic brands to a French company.
A major feature of the Ashburton A&P Show, to be held on October 31 and November 1, will be the annual trans-Tasman Sheep Dog Trial test match, with the best heading dogs from both sides of the Tasman going head-to-head in two teams of four.
Fewer bobby calves are heading to the works this season, as more dairy farmers recognise the value of rearing calves for beef.
The key to a dairy system that generates high profit with a low emissions intensity is using low footprint feed, says Fonterra program manager on-farm excellence, Louise Cook.
Rural retailer Farmlands has reported a return to profitability, something the co-operative says shows clear progress in the second year of its five-year strategy.
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