The dairy co-operative billed an initial farmer survey as the first stage of consultation to review the council’s role and functions and acknowledged that came only after criticism of the council’s performance by some farmers.
The functions of the council, set up to act as a farmer-run watchdog for the co-operative, have not been amended since it was founded in 2001.
The council has 25 regional representatives, four of whom are women. It meets at least six times a year and costs about $3 million a year.
Steering group chairman James Buwalda said there has been a growing disconnect between what some shareholders and other stakeholders believe the council’s functions are, or should be, and what is actually set out in the constitution.
Buwalda, a former government official and private consultant, heads a group of four farmer shareholders, two shareholders’ councillors and two Fonterra directors, in John Nicholls and Donna Smit.
“We’re tasked with understanding the key issues and areas of concern and identifying possible options or changes so we need as many responses as possible to make sure we have a full and accurate understanding of the collective view.”
An initial survey of shareholders closes on May 19 to be followed by a second stage of consultation mid year.
A final report is due by late August ahead of Fonterra’s annual meeting.
That will make it a full year before any decisions are taken, since the review was announced at annnual meeting last October.
And that was only after two groups of farmers filed remits calling for an independent review. – BusinessDesk
