Nominations for Fonterra's 2015 elections opened yesterday and those being held for three shareholder-elected directors are the main focus.
Fonterra directors Blue Read, Nicola Shadbolt and John Wilson retire by rotation and are eligible for re-election.
Candidates for the directors election will be announced on October 13.
David Gasquoine and Rodney Wilson are retiring by rotation from the remuneration committee. Both are eligible for re-election but Mr Wilson has advised he will not be standing again.
There are elections in the 12 wards of the shareholders' council where councillors are retiring by rotation.
Otago, Tasman-Marlborough and Hawkes Bay will have new council representatives as there will be vacancies in these wards as councillors retire.
Nominations must be received by the returning officer by noon on September 25.
Meanwhile, a significant number of farmers are yet to vote in the 2015 Sheepmeat and Beef Levy Referendum before it closes on Thursday.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand chairman James Parsons said that, as of yesterday morning, 5195 farmers, or 30% of registered farmers, had cast their vote.
''It's really important for the organisation that it has a strong mandate from farmers if they want Beef + Lamb New Zealand working for them in the next six years.
''It's a busy time of year with lambing and calving under way. However, voting is a very simple process, which requires only a few minutes.''
With postal votes no longer able to make the 5pm deadline on Thursday, voting was limited to online or fax, he said.
This was the one time every six years when farmers had the chance to say yes or no to an organisation representing their interests, Mr Parsons said.
