Cooper’s resignation signals broader meat industry frustration

Keith Cooper’s resignation from the board of Beef & Lamb New Zealand, sudden as it appeared to be, had been brewing for a time. Cooper had previously expressed frustration with farmer directors’ lack of commercial awareness, terming it naivety, and obviously believed B&LNZ was getting involved in areas it should leave to the meat companies, such as market development.

New funding arrangements for overseas meat promotion

The impact of last year’s referendum decision to stop paying wool levies from April is becoming much clearer, as Meat & Wool NZ goes through its restructuring programme. As Mike Petersen said at the time, the effects are much broader than just expenditure on wool research and promotion.