Sir Dryden Spring - On Dairy Mega-Merger

Sir Dryden Spring

MEDIA STATEMENT 13 June 2001

For immediate release

Former Dairy Board chairman Sir Dryden Spring today exhorted farmers to seize the “unique opportunity the industry has worked towards for so long” and vote in favour of the merger.

“This crucial decision is now out of the hands of industry leaders – and those of Government. Farmers and farmers alone will make this call,” Sir Dryden.

“To secure the industry’s future in the rapidly globalising world economy it is, in my belief, absolutely vital that the merger of New Zealand Dairy Group, Kiwi Dairies and the Board go ahead.”

Sir Dryden said New Zealand dairy farmers had always understood the value of ownership and integration in their industry and had long held the view that the single integrated company structure would be best for the industry.

“Global Dairy Co. provides a unique opportunity for New Zealand farmers to own an integrated manufacturing and marketing company capable of adding significant value to their milk which is both large and strong enough to continue to compete with the best companies in the world.”

Sir Dryden said no other option could deliver this. Any other option will fragment the strong branded value-adding marketing platform which has been successfully established.

“In essence the options are these: either the industry moves forward united, firmly in farmer hands with farmers reaping the benefit of participating in value added marketing, or it allows those benefits to belong to others.

“I would urge every farmer to get their proxies in. It is their industry; their opportunity and their future,” said Sir Dryden.

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