Mr Cooper issued a press release yesterday morning announcing his resignation, which was effective immediately, and outlining his concerns, an hour after the board of Beef and Lamb received his letter of resignation.
Beef and Lamb chairman Mike Petersen said the resignation came as a "big surprise" and he described the statement as an "outrageous attack" on the organisation.
Mr Cooper said he had been "unhappy for some time" with the direction of Beef and Lamb and he believed it was time to seek a review of the need for it.
His concerns included the "continual intrusion" into commercial activities, the "divisive outcomes" many of its initiatives were causing, coupled with proposals to spend levies and/or reserves in competition with the private sector and duplicating what was already being done or was available.
While he believed farmers should invest by way of levies, the debate should be about who administered and who was accountable for those levies.
"In this modern day and age, one would think the commercial owners of product, those who have relationships with suppliers and customers, are best placed to manage investment in markets, compliance and marketing with clear accountabilities back to farmers.
"An 'industry good' body, by name and nature does not have those same drivers or accountabilities."
With the forthcoming election for two directors for Beef and Lamb and the Meat Board, in the northern North Island and northern South Island electorates, Mr Cooper encouraged farmers to look what the candidates were standing for and vote for those who would challenge what Beef and Lamb did.
He believed candidates should seek a review of the need for Beef and Lamb, and suggested farmers should vote for those who were prepared to seek out other ways to support the future of their product.
A continuation of what was now an outdated model, in the form of a producer "industry good" body with poor and unclear accountabilities, was not a sustainable way forward, he said.
He also believed there were a plethora of organisations in the sector which were "crying out for aggregation".
"I am sure the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, NZ Trade and Enterprise along with the Meat Industry Association (for processors/exports) coupled with Federated Farmers can adequately and more cost effectively support and maintain farmer channels to markets," he said.
Mr Cooper was appointed to the board in March 2009 as a processor-exporter appointee, on the recommendation of the Meat Industry Association.
When contacted, Mr Petersen said he was very disappointed Mr Cooper, whose term on the board was due to expire in less than a month, did not give him the courtesy of a phone call to let him know of his resignation, he said.
It was not up to one individual to determine the future of a farmer organisation, he said.
Farmers would do that.
"Frankly, it's not up to a single individual to tell farmers what they should and should not do," Mr Petersen said.
Beef and Lamb was "absolutely" an effective organisation with satisfaction with the organisation among farmers continuing to increase. It was also "absolutely accountable".
"What could be more accountable than farmers every five years deciding whether the organisation exists or not through a referendum," Mr Petersen said.
There were also directors up for re-election every year.
"How much more accountable do you want to be?" he said.
The function and role of the organisation was being looked at all the time. He denied Mr Cooper's suggestion that it intruded into commercial activities, saying "we don't get into the commercial space".
