Fert co-op extends fixed price offer
Ballance Agri-Nutrients is expanding its fixed price offer to help customers manage input costs with greater certainty over the coming season.
Ballance Agri-Nutrients achieved record sales for its financial year ended 31 May 2015.
The co-op returned $76 million to shareholders, chairman David Peacocke told the annual meeting of shareholders.
The results capped off a milestone year for Ballance, which celebrated 60 years since the first shares in legacy company, Bay of Plenty Fertiliser, were issued. Noting the co-op "not only survives but also thrives", he says its core value of collective strength remained unchanged while it evolved to meet the current needs of farming.
"What has changed is that farmers are busier, operating over larger properties and working within increasingly tight environmental demands. So along with a secure supply of the right nutrients, we continually broaden our scope to tailor our products, our technology solutions and our advice for today's farms, and the farms of the future."
CEO, Mark Wynne, says understanding change and making the most of it would see Ballance right for the next six decades.
Ballance's future focus includes the potential for redevelopment of its Kapuni ammonia urea plant, with a proposal due to go to shareholders in 2016.
"The big goal for us is a plant which ticks every box for efficiency, low carbon footprint, waste minimisation, quality and safety. Farms will always need fertiliser. The ideal for us is a state-of-the-art plant which is globally competitive, and can markedly increase the $150 million in forex savings we achieve on importation costs now. When you are thinking 60 years ahead, an investment in a secure, environmentally outstanding source of quality nutrients makes complete sense."
Shareholders approved constitutional changes that will see the co-op move from three wards to two, one in each island, with provisions for the board to move to national director elections over time. Peacocke says with Ballance now close to being a $1 billion business, it is important shareholders can choose from a deep pool of candidates to select the best directors with the best skills and experiences.
Two butcheries have claimed victory at the 100% New Zealand Bacon & Ham Awards for 2025.
A Taupiri farming company has been convicted and fined $52,500 in the Hamilton District Court for the unlawful discharge of dairy effluent into the environment.
The Climate Change Commission’s 2025 emissions reduction monitoring report reveals steady progress on the reduction of New Zealand’s climate pollution.
Another milestone has been reached in the fight against Mycoplasma bovis with the compensation assistance service being wound up after helping more than 1300 farmers.
The Government’s directive for state farmer Landcorp Farming (trading as Pamu) to lifts its performance is yielding results.
The move to bring bovine TB testing in-house at Ospri officially started this month, as a team of 37 skilled and experienced technicians begin work with the disease eradication agency.
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