A remit seeking further funding for MIE and a second seeking two board seats were defeated by three-to-one ratios, once all counting was completed.
Farmers against voted 75% on remit one and 77% against remit two, on a weighted basis according to livestock numbers.
MIE chairman Dave McGaveston, of Nelson, said the reform lobby would push on while there was still hope of achieving industry rationalisation and significant annual savings in processing overheads for farmers.
“MIE is not a one-trick pony – read pages 57 and 58 of the Pathways to Long Term Sustainability Report for lots of options for rationalising the meat industry,” he told the Beef + Lamb New Zealand annual meeting at Waitangi.
The Shanghai Maling purchase of 50% of Silver Fern Farms had not yet received regulatory approval here or in China.
MIE’s alternative NewCo proposal remained an alternative to the Chinese takeover of SFF, but irrespective of the Overseas Investment Office outcome, the need for processing sector reform remained.
In opposing the remits, B+LNZ pointed out the strong support by Silver Fern shareholders for the Shanghai Mailing move also showed insufficient support for the NewCo alternative.
Therefore it would not be wise to support and fund MIE for unspecified professional costs, over an unspecified period and with no clarity on any benefits.
MIE argued it was seeking more funding to continue the mandate given to it by farmers at the 2014 annual meeting, to look for alternative industry structures, arrest the decline in sheep numbers and deliver savings to farmers.
Several farmers spoke at this year’s agm against MIE’s remits, saying they amounted to support out of levies on farmers for a group with a political agenda.
Far North beef farm Laurie Copland said he was not happy with compulsory levies being spent on restructuring the privately owned meat industry.
