Media Release: New Farmer-Elected Directors for Silver Fern Farms Co-operative Board
"Posted" 03/05/2023
Dunedin Wednesday 3 May 2022:
Anna Nelson and Rodney Booth have been elected to Silver Fern Farms Co-operative Limited’s Board of Directors.
The two positions on the Board were open due to the retirement of Dan Jex-Blake and Richard Young who each served three terms on the Co-operative Board.
Anna Nelson joined Silver Fern Farms Co-operative as a Board Appointed Farmer Director in 2021. With her family, Anna runs a 1450 ha sheep and beef breeding and finishing farm in Aria in the King Country. She has completed the To the Core governance development programme (and extension), Fonterra Governance Development Programme and Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme.
Rodney Booth is a joint owner and managing director of Dunfield Farming, a 400 ha beef finishing property, supplying 20,000 stock units to Silver Fern Farms’ specialty programmes exclusively. His farming operation has been a regional finalist in the Silver Fern Farms Plate to Pasture Awards multiple times, and regional winner in 2017. He has completed the To the Core governance development programme (and extension).
Co-operative Chair Rob Hewett said the caliber of the candidates for the election demonstrates the health of the Co-operative and its ongoing focus on Governance development.
“Over a number of years now, the Co-operative Board has continued efforts to support a pipeline of talent coming through to serve as Directors,” says Mr Hewett.
“The duties required of a Director in today’s economic, geo-political and digital climate have never been more complex. Silver Fern Farms Co-operative has invested and partnered in three extension programmes for sitting and up-and-coming Directors over the last five years, and we’ve had over 150 participants through these programmes over that time.
“This year’s election shows the governance of the Co-operative is in good heart,” he says.
Election Results
The results of the election, which closed on Wednesday 26 April were:
| Candidate | Weighted Votes Received |
|---|---|
| NELSON, Anna | 18,542,812 |
| BOOTH, Rodney | 12,018,962 |
| DAVIES, Simon | 10,729,104 |
| CLARKE, Will | 5,640,336 |
To become eligible, ordinary and rebate shareholders needed to meet requirements that include supplying a minimum level of stock for processing over the previous two annual supply periods.
With the retirement of Dan and Richard there were also two vacancies on the board of Silver Fern Farms Ltd. The Co-operative Board have appointed William Beetham and Anna Nelson.
Ordinary Resolution
There was one ordinary resolution at the Annual Meeting, "That the Silver Fern Farms Co-operative Board of Directors be authorised to fix the auditor’s remuneration."
The resolution passed accordingly.
Votes for: 2,119,825
Against: 46,554
Abstain: 0
