Fonterra's shareholders will vote tomorrow on a raft of changes - including reducing the board's size to 11 from 13.

Fonterra chairman John Wilson has linked Theo Spierings' resignation rumours to next week's farmer vote on changes.

Dairy prices kicked off the new season on a strong note, with gains driving the GDT price index up 3.4 per cent.

Fonterra's farmers will vote next week on a raft of changes to the way the co-operative is governed.

Hopes are running high that the first GlobalDairyTrade (GDT) auction for 2016/17 will show an improvement in dairy prices.

Fonterra's moved quickly to reject Australian media reports that Spierings is preparing to step down.

The milk price of $4.25 per kg remains well below DairyNZ's $5.25 per kg estimate of breakeven.

Fonterra is co-operating fully with the ACCC in its investigation of the sudden slump in milk prices.

Christina Zhu didn't know quite what she was getting herself into when she joined Fonterra in 2011.

Dairy prices ended the 2015/6 season on a firm note with the GlobalDairyTrade price index rising by 2.6 per cent at this morning's auction.

Dairy prices should start improving 'in the medium term'.

Fonterra's farmer shareholders will vote next month on whether to accept governance changes to trim the board.

Fonterra says part of forecast final dividend will be moved up to ease low-price pain.

A mild improvement in dairy prices is expected at this week's GlobalDairyTrade auction - the last for the 2015-16 season.

Housing debt got all the attention yesterday, but dairy debt remains near the top list of Reserve Bank of the threats to the economy.

Fonterra has enlisted the help of Richie McCaw to help show the co-operative is not a "faceless corporate".

A group of Australian dairy farmers plans a series of rallies after Fonterra and other processors slashed farmgate milk prices.

Fonterra said the price change better reflects the reality of the supply and demand imbalance affecting global dairy prices.

Dairy prices fell at the Global Dairy Trade auction overnight.

Fonterra's former world headquarters will be converted into an 88-unit apartment block clad in a new white steel and alloy lattice-work exoskeleton.

COMMENT: We need dreamers. But Gary Helou dreamed a little too hard for a little too long.

Fonterra Cooperative Group says milk collection is down in both New Zealand and Australia in the first 10 months of the season.

Dairy prices continued to firm at the latest GlobalDairyTrade auction, with the GDT price index gaining 3.8 per cent driven mostly by a big gain in whole milk powder prices.

Fonterra has continued to lose farmers to its competitors, based on latest production data.

Fonterra's first draft of suggested changes to its governance structure recommends the board's size be cut from 13 to 11.

Fonterra's first draft of its recommendations on the size and makeup of its board will be made public tomorrow.

NZX's planned new milk price futures contract can help bring stability to a dairy sector being hit by low returns, says visiting specialist Brian Rice.

"Pleasant surprise" at global dairy auction.

Fonterra could let farmer shareholders sell shares based on annual milk production to reduce debt, analysts say.