About 100 Silver Fern Farm shareholders have turned up for the company's special meeting in Dunedin.
The largest processing company, Silver Fern Farms (SFF), owned by 6200 farmer shareholders, has been offered the lifeline of a $261 million injection by Shanghai Maling, a Chinese company.
Shareholders will vote on the proposal today.
Chairman Rob Hewett thanked the shareholders for their strong interest in the company.
SFF chief executive Dean Hamilton told shareholders that the proposal gives the company a unique position in China.
"It will help us truly unleash our pasture to plate strategy," he says.
Voting results are expected around midday.