New SFF director, special loan offer

WAIRARAPA farmer William Beetham has been elected to the board of directors of Silver Fern Farms Cooperative Ltd.

Mr Beetham farms at Wainuioru, 15 minutes east of Masterton, and is managing director of Beetham Pastoral, which operates two farmers over an effective 1250ha with semiintensive sheep and beef finishing. Simon Davies was the unsuccessful candidate.

The Bank of New Zealand has launched New Zealand’s first agribusiness sustainabilitylinked loan product (SLL) available to all New Zealand farmers.

The term loan, an SLL available to all farmers no matter the size of their farm or industry, offered interest cost savings for achieving environmental and social targets including: Greenhouse gas reductions; ecosystem protection; improved care for staff; protecting waterways; improving biodiversity; and animal welfare, the bank said.

Environmental and social targets are set and agreed with BNZ and progress independently verified annually.

Dana Muir, BNZ head of natural capital, said, ‘‘New Zealand’s farmers are working hard to achieve environmental and social goals and we want to support and incentivise their efforts.’’