Two Major NZ Dairy Deals Completed
Two major acquisitions in the New Zealand dairy sector were completed this week.
Fonterra Co-operative Council chair James Barron is stepping down after three years in the role.
Barron, who represents South Waikato on the council, retires by rotation this year and isn't seeking re-election.
He will hand over to a new chairman, to be elected by the 25 councillors, at Fonterra's annual meeting in early November. A new councillor for South Waikato will also be elected at the annual meeting.
Barron told Rural News that he was confident now was a good time to step down and hand over the reins to someone else.
"I'm confident now is a good time for succession to happen," he says.
"There has been a lot going on in the co-op over the last few years. Now we are in a period of relative stability and that allows me to step back and focus on other areas."
While the District Field Days brought with it a welcome dose of sunshine, it also attracted a significant cohort of sitting members from the Beehive – as one might expect in an election year.
Irish Minister of State of Agriculture, Noel Grealish was in New Zealand recently for an official visit.
While not all sibling rivalries come to blows, one headline event at the recent New Zealand Rural Games held in Palmerston North certainly did, when reigning World Champion Jack Jordan was denied the opportunity of defending his world title in Europe later this year, after being beaten by his big brother’s superior axle blows, at the Stihl Timbersports Nationals.
AgriZeroNZ has invested $5.1 million in Australian company Rumin8 to accelerate development of its methane-reducing products for cattle and bring them to New Zealand.
Farmers want more direct, accurate information about both fuel and fertiliser supply.
A bull on a freight plane sounds like the start of a joke, but for Ian Bryant, it is a fond memory of days gone by.

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