Belief in Fonterra key to Philip's commitment

WAIRARAPA MIDWEEK

The new deputy chairman of Fonterra's Co-operative Shareholders Council, Mauriceville farmer Philip Palmer, is enjoying his new role. Barbara Gillham finds out more.

A council member since 2007, which included two years on the leadership team as chair of the Governance and Ethics Committee, Philip says he put himself forward for the position as he wanted to put a bit more back into the council for his last couple of years.

"I decided when my term came up last year that I'd do one more three-year term and that will be it. There are a lot of young people out there who deserve a turn.

"I've always loved the council, I think it's a great model for a big co-operative and the representation side of running a big co-operative would be lost if we didn't have it."

Philip's family has been dairy farming at Mauriceville since 1873, when his great-great-grandfather bought 60ha of bush-clad land which he then cleared. Today the farm has a milking platform of 110ha and 340 cows.

Although still a keen dairy farmer, Philip now leaves much of the day-to-day management to his son Steve. Philip, his wife Anne and Steve are in an equity partnership.

This has allowed Philip to concentrate on running his 270ha sheep and beef property - 70ha on the home farm at Mauriceville and another 200ha at Rangitumau.

Aware of the time commitment involved in his new role, he is nonetheless looking forward to it and is excited about the future of the dairy industry.

Philip says the challenge will be to move Fonterra forward as a united co-op once TAF (Trading Among Farmers) is implemented.

"I've supported the introduction of it as it will not only almost remove all of Fonterra's redemption risk, but will give our shareholders some flexibility around the way they buy and sell shares and their ability to transfer some shares into the shareholders' fund if they are looking to pick up some additional liquidity."

Philip says there are some people who are not particularly happy with TAF and some who voted against it due to a lack of understanding.

Over the next few months he hopes to meet with those farmers and help allay any fears they may have.