Another Windfall for Fonterra Farmers, Unit Holders
Fonterra farmer shareholders and unit holders are in line for another payment in April.
Two former Fonterra directors are seeking a reduction in the size of the co-op board.
Greg Gent, a former deputy chairman and Colin Armer, a former director and one of Fonterra's single largest farmer supplier, have put forward a notice of proposal to the co-op's agm in Waitoa next month.
They want shareholder support for a reduction of board members from 13 to nine.
If it is successful their proposal requires the Shareholders Council to conduct an election for all six elected directors in March 2016.
However, the proposal requires 50% support from the Shareholders Council and at least 75% of shareholder votes in favour.
"It's a big hurdle but we've made sure that there are plenty of mechanisms for shareholders to discuss the proposition and its pros and cons before casting their votes," Gent says.
"We all want our cooperative to be more globally competitive and successful with a clear strategy to achieve that. Our farming businesses and livelihoods depend on that.
"We believe that a smaller board is essential to improve the governance and performance of the cooperative. Fonterra has performed well below the expectations the farmers who voted to form it had at the time.
Controls on the movement of fruit and vegetables in the Auckland suburb of Mt Roskill have been lifted.
Fonterra farmer shareholders and unit holders are in line for another payment in April.
Farmers are being encouraged to take a closer look at the refrigerants running inside their on-farm systems, as international and domestic pressure continues to build on high global warming potential (GWP) 400-series refrigerants.
As expected, Fonterra has lifted its 2025-26 forecast farmgate milk price mid-point to $9.50/kgMS.
Bovonic says a return on investment study has found its automated mastitis detection technology, QuadSense, is delivering financial, labour, and animal-health benefits on New Zealand dairy farms worth an estimated $29,547 per season.
Pāmu has welcomed ten new apprentices into its 2026 intake, marking the second year of a scheme designed to equip the next generation of farmers with the skills, knowledge, and experience needed for a thriving career in agriculture.

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