Fonterra Announces Interim Leadership Changes Ahead of Richard Allen CEO Transition
Fonterra has announced interim changes to the leadership of its Global Ingredients business.
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."
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North Otago farmer Leilani Lobb has been named the 2026 Dairy Women’s Network (DWN) Regional Leader of the Year.
There's optimism emerging among farmers on the Chatham Islands after years of an irregular and poor shipping service.
Bay of Plenty leader and General Manager of Te Tawa Kaiti Lands Trust, Hinehou Timutimu, has been announced as the 2026 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year.
A large-scale modern orchard development in coastal Mid-Canterbury is expected to eventually produce 116 million apples a year from 900,000 trees while also becoming a significant employer for the region.
Silver Fern Farms has announced a major capital investment valued at over $100 million to redevelop freezing, cold storage, and automation facilities at its Finegand Site near Balclutha.