Issues with SFF joint venture remain

David Shaw
David Shaw
Former Silver Fern Farms director David Shaw says questions remain about the proposed joint venture with Shanghai Maling.

Mr Shaw, a Clinton farmer and Silver Fern Farms director from 2006-09 and then again from 2011-13, when he was ousted, is seeking another term on the board.

He said he had been approached by farmers asking him to stand again and he was seeking a review of the co-operative in what he described as three critical areas: co-operative capitalisation, the board operation of the co-operative, and the constitution.

The new co-operative would have distinctly changed roles and that brought various unresolved and undefined issues, he said.

Questions included what the role of the co-operative would be, how that related to farmers and supply, and the benefits of being a shareholder. It was still operating under a constitution that was designed for a ''totally different set of circumstances'' and he also had queries about governance.

Structural changes had to happen for farmers to have an ongoing legacy in the company as a co-operative, he said.

Many farmers were ''a bit ambivalent''; they saw the amount of capital Shanghai Maling could bring to the company and the board had advised it was the best deal on the table.

Silver Fern Farms was critical to the livelihood of its suppliers, whose standard of living was based on the company's success. Farmers needed to ''have a stake in the chain'', Mr Shaw said.

Mr Shaw, who had been vocal in expressing concerns about aspects of the process of the venture and the timing of the transaction, said he had not shied away from articulating how he saw things.

''I've always been working for farmers' interests. Ultimately, it's their business,'' he said.

Also standing for the one available position on the board, caused by the retirement of Hawkes Bay director Angus Mabin, are Anthony O'Boyle (Manawatu), William Oliver (King Country) and Oliver Saxton (Waikato).

Voting papers will be posted to eligible shareholders this week and voting closes on December 11.

 

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