Fonterra chairman John Wilson has admitted that the co-op has "dropped the ball" when communicating with shareholders.
During a discussion with shareholders at the co-op's annual meeting in Waitoa today, Wilson said that informing farmers earlier this year about new PKE usage limits was one such example.
Wilson says the co-op must get its communications better and it is the front of mind for management.
Former King Country MP, Shane Ardern told the meeting that the co-op was unable to take stakeholders along on its strategy "in these turbulent times".
"We definitely have communication issues," Ardern told the meeting.
"We have to do better in our PR department."