Listen: Jacqueline Rowarth on Fonterra and Roundup

Dr Jacqueline Rowarth. Photo / Supplied

Fonterra announced this morning that Miles Hurrell will replace Theo Spierings as interim chief executive and the dairy co-op has halted its global recruitment search.

Rural academic Dr Jacqueline Rowarth spoke to The Country's Jamie Mackay saying she found the move "surprising"

"Surprising that when we thought they were in the final throes of an appointment of a new CEO, we've actually got an internal interim and been told that the search has been altered globally."

Rowarth goes on to say the dairy co-op has been "all a bit of a muddle" recently, but "sadly this is what we're seeing from Fonterra at the moment."

Listen below:

The Danone payout and failed Beingmate investment means Theo Spierings' time as CEO of Fonterra "hasn't gone well for him," says Rowarth.

Meanwhile, Roundup has been called into question after a US court ruled the weed killer contributed to a janitor's cancer and awarded him $NZ440 million. Mackay asks Rowarth if this should be a cause for concern in New Zealand.

"We have not been able to find any evidence that suggests exposure to glyphosates when used as recommended has any human health issues."

Rowarth says research has shown that 97 per cent of people with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, (the type of cancer the janitor has), "have been nowhere near glyphosate - but that was not a question that the court was asking."

Also in today's interview: Rowarth comments on how new Fonterra chair John Monaghan has been doing so far and comments on alternatives to glyphosates in farming.