Two new awards open to help young farmers progress to farm ownership
Entries have opened for two awards in the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards (NZDIA) programme, aimed at helping young farmers progress to farm ownership.
Fonterra chairman John Monaghan says Tip Top’s new owner, Froneri is doing a great job looking after its former employees.
He told the co-op’s annual meeting in Invercargill today that selling Tip Top wasn’t easy.
“We knew it wouldn’t be a popular decision with some of you, but it was the right call.
“Was it an iconic business? Yes. Was it on strategy and a key part of our future? Definitely not.
“Once we took the emotion out of the process, making that call was easy: we divested it as a mature asset for a great price.”
Monaghan says Froneri has retained all former Fonterra employees, who have kept their jobs as part of the deal.
Fonterra has used the proceeds to help reduce debt levels and give it more options for the future.
It has sold its stake in Venezuelan consumer joint venture, Corporacion Inlaca, and its 50% share of DFE Pharma – a joint venture with FrieslandCampina.
“We are considering our options for our ownership of our China Farms, Dairy Partners Americas which is our joint venture in Brazil, and have begun the process of sellingdown our 18.8% shareholding in Beingmate.”
A buoyant farm economy should make for a successful 2026 Southern Field Days, says chairman Steve Henderson.
OPINION: November 7 has been set by Christopher Luxon as ‘E day’ – election day.
The strong wool market has improved in the past six months, despite drops in production over recent years.
On January 5th at Te Pa Station, the World Sheep Shearing Records saw a new nine-hour strong wool ewes shearing record set by Simon Goss.
Recently awarded in the New Years Honours List for Services to Agriculture and Governance, well known dairy farmer Lloyd Downing has become an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM).
International trade expert Stephen Jacobi says Winston Peters' objections to the Indian free trade deal are "ridiculous".
OPINION: There will be no cows at Europe's largest agricultural show in Paris this year for the first time ever…
OPINION: Canterbury grows most of the country's wheat, barley and oat crops. But persistently low wheat prices, coupled with a…