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Former industry reformers Richard Young and Dan Jex-Blake are stepping down soon from Silver Fern Farms co-operative’s (SFF) board.
The pair have completed their maximum of three terms under the co-op’s rules. The vacancies will be filled after an election.
Applications for the two farmer-elected directorships are now open. They will play a part in being responsible for setting the co-operative’s corporate governance and strategic direction.
To run for the election, candidates must be a co-op shareholder and have supplied at least 400 stock units to SFF for each of the last two years.
The co-operative owns 50% of Silver Fern Farms Ltd, in partnership with Shanghai Maling.
Mr Young farms an intensive sheep and cropping property at West Otago’s Tapanui, and Mr Jex-Blake is a Gisborne sheep and beef farmer.
The pair stood down as executive members of the former Meat Industry Excellence group in a bid to gain a place on the SFF’s board, and were elected as directors in 2013.
The group tried to get Silver Fern Farms and Alliance Group to work together and make a single stronger co-operative.
That never eventuated and in 2015, SFF announced a proposed 50:50 joint venture with Shanghai Maling Aquarius, China’s largest meat processor, which was accepted by shareholders.
Mr Young was chairman of the co-op board until 2021, when predecessor Rob Hewett stepped back into the head role.
