Fonterra trio voted back in

Sir Henry van der Heyden. Photo / Kenny Rodger

Three incumbent directors retired by rotation from the Fonterra board have been re-elected by farmers.

Board chairman Sir Henry van der Heyden, former farmer politician Malcolm Bailey and former banker Ian Farrelly are back on the board, said returning officer Warwick Lampp, of electionz.com.

Fonterra rotates its nine farmers' directors, with a different three retiring each year. They are allowed to stand again for re-election.

The three beat off two challengers, including Waikato dairy farmer Russ Rimmington, 64, a former Hamilton mayor. Rimmington, 64, had called for Fonterra to stop farmers from inducing calf births - usually causing the death of the calf - to maximise milk production.

Gerard Wolvers, retired by rotation from the directors' remuneration committee, regained his seat with shareholder Scott Montgomery, but another sitting member, Ron Ferriman, was dumped.

Successful candidates for the Shareholders' Council were: Kevin Turnbull (Northern Taranaki), David Werder (Southern Taranaki), and Angela Ward (Northern Canterbury).

Nominees elected unopposed in the 10 other shareholders' council wards were: Murray Douglas (Northern Wairoa), Stephen Silcock (Morrinsville), Ian Brown (South Waikato), Nick Barrett (Coastal Taranaki), Owen Greig (Southern Manawatu), Grant Scott (Otago), Bill Donaldson (Hauraki), Kevin Monks (Cambridge), Duncan Coull (Otorohanga), Phil Butler (Taupo).

Brown, a Tokoroa farmer, is deputy to council chairman Simon Crouper.

- NZPA