Oz farmers' election wishlist
Australian farmers advocate NFF says this year’s Federal Election will be a defining moment for Australian agriculture.
Australia's largest dairy farm could change hands before Christmas.
The Van Diemen's Land Company (VDL) in Tasmania, owned by the New Plymouth District Council, is talking to potential investors, as confirmed by VDL governor Keith Sutton.
"VDL is dealing with a number of parties looking to invest in the company," he told Dairy News. "VDL expects an outcome to be announced well before Christmas."
The farms are owned through New Plymouth council's Perpetual Investment Fund (PIF), which gradually increased its ownership in the farms to a majority holding over a number of years.
The council's PIF was created from the $259m sale of the council's shares in lines company Powerco in 2004.
Established in 1825, VDL is located in the picturesque northwest of Tasmania, where it owns and operates 25 dairy farms, a dairy support unit and a standalone heifer rearing operation. Including replacements VDL runs about 30,000 dairy livestock.
VDL is one of Australia's oldest companies, established in London in 1824 by 11 men closely connected with the English wool trade and textile industry.
VDL became part of the New Zealand publicly listed company Tasman Agriculture Ltd in 1993. This went into voluntary liquidation on October 31, 2001, following a restructuring of its New Zealand Farms, and its shareholders received one share in Tasman Farms Ltd for every share held in TasAg by way of an in-specie distribution.
In June 2004 VDL bought all the shares in Tasman Farmdale Ltd, which owned land in the Circular Head region of northwest Tasmania.
Tasman Farms Ltd, an NZ company, is the majority shareholder in VDL, owning 98.42% of shares on issue.
In late 2007 the New Plymouth District Council (NPDC) bid to buy Tasman Farms Ltd. In February 2008 this bid was finalised, the NPDC buying 74.33% of Tasman Farms Ltd. NPDC has since increased its shareholding to 100%.
Federated Farmers supports a review of the current genetic technology legislation but insists that a farmer’s right to either choose or reject it must be protected.
New Zealand’s top business leaders are urging the US Administration to review “unjustified and discriminatory tariffs” imposed on Kiwi exporters.
New tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump signal an uncertain future, but New Zealand farmers know how to adapt to changing conditions, says Auriga Martin, chief executive of Farm Focus.
A global trade war beckons, which is bad news for a small open economy like New Zealand, warns Mark Smith ASB senior economist.
Carterton's Awakare Farm has long stood as a place where family, tradition and innovation intersect.
Fonterra says the US continues to be an important market for New Zealand dairy and the co-op.
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