Farmer revolt over China Mengniu’s Lion Dairy bid

Original article by Sue Mitchell, John Kehoe
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 16 : 26-Nov-19

Some federal politicians have expressed concern about China Mengniu Dairy Company’s proposed acquisition of milk processor Lion Dairy & Drinks. Labor senator Kim Carr says the $600m deal should be subject to a number of conditions to ensure that jobs and processing facilities in regional areas are protected. Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce is concerned about China’s "creeping acquisition" of dairy-related assets in Australia, while independent MP Andrew Wilkie says ownership of Australia’s leading brands is becoming increasingly concentrated. Farmers say the deal should be conditional on a floor price for the farm gate price of milk.

CORPORATES
LION-DAIRY AND DRINKS PTY LTD, CHINA MENGNIU DAIRY COMPANY LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. FOREIGN INVESTMENT REVIEW BOARD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, BELLAMY’S AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX BAL, KIRIN HOLDINGS COMPANY LIMITED, DAIRY CONNECT LIMITED, MURRAY GOULBURN CO-OPERATIVE COMPANY LIMITED, SAPUTO INCORPORATED

Farmers cry over Woolies milk

Original article by Jared Lynch
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 22 : 28-May-15

The Queensland Dairyfarmers’ Organisation notes that 130 farmers in the state have left the industry since Coles and Woolworths introduced deep discounts on fresh milk in 2011. Meanwhile, Dairy Australia reports that milk production in Queensland fell by 5. 9 per cent in the year to April 2015, although national production rose by 2.9 per cent. Woolworths argues that a number of factors affect the farmgate price of milk.

CORPORATES
QUEENSLAND DAIRYFARMERS’ ORGANISATION LIMITED, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, COLES GROUP LIMITED, DAIRY AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN DAIRY FARMERS’ LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, BRISBANE LIONS FOOTBALL CLUB, GOLD COAST FOOTBALL CLUB LIMITED

Dairy float call for Van Diemen’s Land

Original article by Carrie LaFrenz
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 18 : 9-Feb-15

Tasmanian Land Company recently launched a takeover bid for Van Diemen’s Land Company (VDL), with the offer pitched at $A2 per share. However, Wilson HTM stockbroker Hugh Robertson believes that the milk producer should be listed on the Australian sharemarket, and says he recently approached VDL with his proposal for an IPO. VDL has a portfolio of 25 dairy farms and a 26,000-strong herd of dairy cows

CORPORATES
VAN DIEMEN’S LAND COMPANY, TASMANIAN LAND COMPANY, WILSON HTM INVESTMENT GROUP LIMITED – ASX WIG, BDO AGRICULTURAL SERVICES, BDO AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NEW PLYMOUTH DISTRICT COUNCIL, TASMAN FARMS PTY LTD, TARANAKI INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT LIMITED, CHINA INVESTMENT CORPORATION

Retailers ‘will lose out to Chinese’

Original article by Blair Speedy
The Australian – Page: 18 : 29-Jul-14

Dominant supermarket chains Coles and Woolworths have been urged to raise their farmgate prices, or risk losing supply as primary producers instead export to the lucrative market in China. The warning has come from Federal Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce, who noted that the companies are selling white label milk for just $A1 a litre when consumers in China are prepared to pay $A7 or more. Joyce also said he fully backed a Federal Court case by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission against Coles, over alleged unconscionable conduct in its relations with food sector suppliers

CORPORATES
WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, COLES GROUP LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF AGRICULTURE, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA, ALDI STORES SUPERMARKETS PTY LTD, NORCO CO-OPERATIVE LIMITED, MURRAY GOULBURN CO-OPERATIVE COMPANY LIMITED