Mr Hewett had insight into a few different sectors and all were fundamentally facing the same issues, he said. Despite the challenges, Mr Hewett said it was also an incredibly exciting time for the sector. Farmlands was what Mr Hewett called an output co-operative; farmers procured fuel, products and services. It was not like Silver Fern Farms, Fonterra or Alliance Group where farmers relied on those businesses for those income. Earlier this year, he stepped down as chairman of Silver Fern Farms Co-operative although he remains a director of Silver Fern Farms Co-operative and is co-chairman of Silver Fern Farms Ltd.That was all part of a succession plan that had been put into play and he would step down from Silver Fern Farms at some stage in the near future.

Source: Otago Daily Times December 15, 2019 15:22 UTC