Top wool advocate bales out
The conversion of productive farmland into trees has pretty much annihilated the wool industry.
The New Zealand Merino Company has posted a net profit of $1.9 million for year ending June 2014. A dividend of $950,000 has been declared.
Company chairman Ruth Richardson attributes the positive result to NZM's innovative model.
"This is a result NZM can be proud of. It highlights that our market-focused model is setting a standard that is distinctively different to any other offering.
"Our customers and shareholders can be confident that we are delivering value through our single-minded focus to have the highest standards in production, ethical standards, servicing our markets and creating customer delight".
"Through this model we have delivered major value add to growers and market partners alike".
Richardson says the board has set ambitious goals to double the value of the company in the next three years.
Chief executive John Brakenridge says the result reflected the strong partnerships and a model that continues to deliver.
"In the last 16 years we have built several key and lasting market partnerships and this year have delivered a profit after tax return of 22% on average shareholders' funds," he says.
"The success of the Merino and Mid Micron model has given us confidence to build a presence in the adjacent strong wool market."
Brakenridge also commented on the talent of the NZM team.
"We have attracted a team of capable, passionate people who have a diverse base of skills who are recognised for their leadership from wool expertise, through to market development, sales and marketing, creative, textile science, production science and environmental science and are helping us to achieve our vision".
OPINION: Public pressure has led to Canterbury Police rightly rolling back its proposed restructure that would have seen several rural police stations closed in favour of centralised hubs.
When I interview Rachel Cox, she is driving - on her way to her next meeting.
With Fonterra's UHT plant at its Edendale site less than a year from completion, demand continues to grow for products the plant will produce, such as Anchor Whipping Cream.
A new $50,000 scholarship fund designed to support and empower women in the New Zealand dairy industry through leadership development has been launched.
Many farmers around the country are taking advantage of the high dairy payout to get maximum production out of their cows.
In 2015, the signing of a joint venture between St Peter's School, Cambridge, and Lincoln University saw the start of an exciting new chapter for Owl Farm as the first demonstration dairy farm in the North Island. Ten years on, the joint venture is still going strong.
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