Fonterra FY26 Results: $9.69 Milk Price, $3.4bn Profit
Fonterra has unveiled its annual results for the 2026 financial year, posting $27 billion in revenue and close to $20 billion returned to New Zealand farmer owners and unit holders.
New Fonterra Shareholders Council Ian Brown has signalled support for TAF (trading among farmers).
Brown replaced Simon Couper, who resigned yesterday saying TAF could not guarantee 100% ownership and control.
Brown says the council has worked alongside the board of directors and the board's capital structure committee for the past two years developing the TAF concept for implementation.
"The council has been deeply involved at all stages and has also conducted its own due diligence process with independent advisors involved," says Brown.
Earlier this week Fonterra's board gave its qualified view that the first four pre-conditions for the launch of TAF would be met, subject mainly to legislative changes and regulatory consents and confirmations. The fifth pre-condition revolves around the Shareholders Council providing its majority support.
Brown says the board needs to satisfy the council that TAF will be implemented in substantially the same manner as set out in the TAF blueprint.
"The board will provide to the council a final report showing how the pre-conditions have been met - prior to the board and the council formally resolving that TAF be implemented, which is likely to take place in July."
Brown says that throughout the deliberations during the past two years, one of the most important considerations has been the ultimate size of the Fonterra Shareholders Fund and how this might be structured to best protect the co-op for future generations.
"As a result of these discussions considerable emphasis has been placed on the terms of the Fonterra Shareholders' fund risk management policy which is described in the blueprint, he says.
"The council is pleased that the board has agreed to recommend to shareholders that they enshrine this policy in Fonterra's constitution."
The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (the College) and Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network are calling for investment in a proposed new training pathway for rural GPs, warning that many rural practices are struggling to recruit while a large share of the existing workforce nears retirement.
Federated Farmers has called on Central Otago District Council (CODC) to drop or vote down a plan to truck sludge from Alexandra and Cromwell to farmland near Lauder, warning it would compound an "outrageous" situation created by a separate council's decision weeks earlier.
Synlait has swung to second-half profit as operations stabilise, but the dairy processor still posted a $75.4m annual loss.
LIC shareholders have elected a new North Island representative to the co-operative's Board, along with five representatives to its Shareholder Reference Group (SRG), following the company's Annual Meeting held in Invercargill.
Farmers across parts of Southland and South Otago are continuing to deal with difficult conditions after a prolonged run of wet weather, with pressure building around feed supply, stock management, pasture damage, farm infrastructure and everyday workloads.
Federated Farmers says it welcomes Labour's commitment to reviewing the Sharemilking Agreements Act, calling on other major parties to do the same.
OPINION: It seems Canterbury processor Synlait is still in the doldrums.
OPINION: Get offside with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters at your own peril.