Interests of dairy farmers must be paramount
Gavan Herlihy
Opposition Agriculture
Spokesperson
Tuesday 14 March 2000
Interests of dairy farmers must be paramount
The interests of individual dairy farmers must override the self-interest being exhibited by the directors of the two major potential partners in the stalled dairy mega-merger proposal, National Agriculture spokesperson Gavan Herlihy said today.
"The merger, estimated to increase individual dairy farmers' earnings by $12,000, cannot afford to be put in jeopardy by blatant company 'patch protection'.
"If the two big players, the Dairy Group and Kiwi Co-op, cannot agree on their respective valuations then, in the interests of the total dairy industry, a valuation must be done by a third party.
"I urge the Directors of the two big dairy co-ops to respond positively to the Chairman of the Dairy Board Mr Graeme Fraser's call for the appointment of an independent external valuer," Mr Herlihy said.
Ends