December 06, 2018
New expectations set for Landcorp
Associate State Owned Enterprises Minister Shane Jones says changes on the board at Landcorp signal a change in direction for New Zealand's largest farming enterprise.
The new chair is Warren Parker, who has a background in agriculture science, forestry and conservation.
Mr Jones says under the previous Government there was a sense the state-owned farmer was trying to sell farms to overseas interests, and it was important to find a chair who reflected the new Government's priorities.
"We do not want Landcorp selling land. We do not want Landcorp straying too far away from the basics of making a profit out of farming. We do want then to show leadership in smarter, more sustainable farming but we want to see them improve their stake in forestry, getting better returns out of the land, perhaps from horticulture and other land use activities," he says.
Ministers were impressed with the skills of former chair Traci Houpapa, whose term expired earlier this year, and it is looking for other roles for her.
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