ANZ defends farm lending rates
The country's largest lender to the agriculture sector says it's not favouring home loans over farm and business lending.
Federated Farmers has welcomed the 89.51% vote in favour of constitutional safeguards around Trading Among Farmers (TAF).
"We can finally put the ghost of June's TAF vote to bed where the concept was backed but not the constitutional safeguards," says Willy Leferink, Federated Farmers Dairy Chairperson.
"A 89.51% vote is nearly as comprehensive as you can possibly get and Fonterra shareholders have shown good judgment.
"I think the focus of Fonterra shareholder-farmers can turn back to farming. The cooperative's board and management now have all of the tools they said they needed. The strength of this vote today needs to be taken on board by directors.
"Speaking of directors, we congratulate John Wilson and Professor Nicola Shadbolt being returned as directors. We also look forward to working with Blue Read after his election to Fonterra's board.
"As chairman, John Wilson now has a clear mandate with the baton firmly passed onto him from Sir Henry van der Heyden."
Lefering also congratulated the newly elected shareholder councillors too. "This includes my immediate past Federated Farmers Dairy vice-chairperson, Robin Barkla, as well as the immediate past Southland provincial dairy chair, Vaughan Templeton," he says.
"Federated Farmers wants Fonterra to be a success but we also want that for Westland, Tatua and companies like Miraka, Synlait and Open Country Cheese. In fact, the entire New Zealand dairy industry."
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says the relationship between New Zealand and the US will remain strong and enduring irrespective of changing administrations.
More than 200 people turned out on Thursday, November 21 to see what progress has been made on one of NZ's biggest and most comprehensive agriculture research programmes on regenerative agriculture.
The a2 Milk Company (a2MC) says securing more China label registrations and developing its own nutritional manufacturing capability are high on its agenda.
Stellar speakers, top-notch trade sites, innovation, technology and connections are all on offer at the 2025 East Coast Farming Expo being once again hosted in Wairoa in February.
As a guest of the Italian Trade Association, Rural News Group Machinery Editor Mark Daniel took the opportunity to make an early November dash to Bologna to the 46th EIMA exhibition.
Livestock can be bred for lower methane emissions while also improving productivity at a rate greater than what the industry is currently achieving, research has shown.
OPINION: Fonterra may have sold its dairy farms in China but the appetite for collaboration with the country remains strong.
OPINION: The Listener's latest piece on winter grazing among Southland dairy farmers leaves much to be desired.