New Zealand Sign Language Week Highlights Inclusion at Fonterra Clandeboye
Last week marked New Zealand Sign Language Week and a South Canterbury tanker operator is sharing what it's like to be deaf in a busy Fonterra depot.
Fonterra will reduce its board from 11 to 9 at the completion of the 2024 annual general meeting.
This follows a vote at today’s AGM, where 88.5% of shareholders voted in support of the change.
Fonterra chair Peter McBride says that Fonterra can now move into the 2024 director elections with certainty.
“Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote. The transition to a board of nine, comprising of six farmer elected directors and three appointed directors, will be completed at the conclusion of the 2024 annual meeting, 12 months from now.”
A counter proposal by Kaikohe farmer Richard Dampney to reduce only elected directors on the board wasn’t passed. Each of his four remits garnered only between 15% and 18% of votes.
Dampney told Rural News that he isn’t surprised at the result.
He claims Fonterra’s board and Co-operative Council stonewalled him.
“They killed my remits before they could even get off the ground,” he says.
“My remits were quite similar to Fonterra’s remit, but they told shareholders to vote against my remits.”
A proposal to increase director fees was passed by 76% support and another to boost councillors’ allowance passed with 77% support.
Independent directors Bruce Hassall and Holly Kramer were re-elected for another term.
OPINION: Farmers around the country are welcoming the proposed reform of local government.
A move to boost farmer uptake of low methane emitting sheep is underway.
Silver Fern Farms has tackled the ongoing war-induced shipping challenges to mideast markets by airlifting 90 tonnes of chilled New Zealand lamb and beef to the United Arab Emirates.
The primary sector is leading New Zealand's economic recovery, according to economist and researcher Cameron Bagrie.
Dairy industry leader Jim van der Poel didn't make much of the invitation he received to the recent New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards in Rotorua.
Farmers around the country are going public big time, demanding their local district, city and regional councils come up with amalgamation plans that meet the needs of rural communities and don't allow urban councils to dominate.

OPINION: The old saying 'a new broom sweeps clean' doesn't always hold up, if you ask the Hound.
OPINION: This old mutt went to school to eat his lunch, but still knows the future of the country, and…