What Would Synlait Be Worth to Fonterra or a2 Milk?
Speculation of a possible joint move by Fonterra and a2 Milk to buy Synlait raises a much bigger strategic question, says agribusiness expert Dr Nic Lees.
Fonterra Shareholders' Council chairman, Ian Brown, says farmers' take-up of the latest Fonterra Supply Offer shows they are beginning to take advantage of the flexibility Trading Among Farmers (TAF) offers them.
Twenty per cent of Farmers sold close to $600 million worth of the economic rights to their Wet Shares, Brown says.
"The first supply offer saw farmers exercise some understandable caution but with growing confidence in the new system farmers are now ready to use TAF as it was intended.
"The solid level of demand from shareholders to release some of the economic value of their shares shows they are using TAF to their benefit.
"Farmers are taking advantage of the greater flexibility it offers them in making decisions that impact the day-to-day running of their business.
"This also strengthens our cooperative as Fonterra is now able to make better use of our capital rather than, as the recent drought would have compelled it to, distribute it as farmers redeemed their shares."
As the cost-of-living crisis continues to put pressure on household grocery budgets, new figures show pork remains one of the most affordable fresh meat options for New Zealand families.
OPINION: In politics, credibility is and should be big. It must surely rank higher than charisma, which is quite trite and superficial. Yet, voters nowadays are often wooed and influenced by how someone looks or talks at a superficial level. TV plays a huge role in this.
Farmers can spend less time on paperwork, thanks to a new data sharing agreement between DairyNZ’s DairyBase and LIC’s MINDA software.
Kaikōura families affected by July's severe storm have found a practical solution to a problem that's kept some children away from regular schooling for weeks: a washed-out section of Inland Kaikōura Road, which has stopped the local school bus from running its usual route.
Rural New Zealand is welcoming the Government’s recent package of rural healthcare initiatives.
Interest in agritech and production animal systems has prompted Massey University's School of Agriculture and the Environment to new majors to its popular animal science degree.

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