Fonterra would quickly succumb to foreign ownership if the world's biggest dairy exporter went public, according to Federated Farmers' new dairy spokesman Willy Leferink. The lobby group made the comments following suggestions the proposed Trading Among Farmers scheme, which would see outside investors allowed to invest in a Fonterra-related fund, is a threat to farmer control of the cooperative. The scheme to allow farmers to trade Fonterra shares among themselves missed the cut for inclusion ...

The proposed joint venture arrangement involving the Co-operative Group and Midlands Society’s travel businesses and Thomas Cook could be delayed until the end of August after the Office of Fair Trading agreed to ‘fast track’ a Competition Commission inquiry into the deal.