June 16, 2014
FOMA snuggles up to Silver Fern
The Federation of Maori Authorities has signed a memorandum of understanding with the country’s largest meat producers’ co-operative, Silver Fern Farms.
Federation chief executive Te Horipo Karaitiana says the agreement doesn’t require FOMA members to change their allegiances to other processors, but it will give them better visibility into what Silver Fern is doing about sustainability and building greater resilience in its co-operative base.
He says the partnership will benefit Maori dry stock farmers, who account for about two thirds of the 950,000 hectares of productive rural land in Maori hands.
Silver Fern Farms will be a key sponsor of the federation’s annual conference and its key primary sector fora.
Mr Karaitiana says the parties intend to work on developing farm systems through FarmIQ, and leverage their collective scale and influence.
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