A sitting Fonterra director may have been rejected by the Alliance meat co-operative as an election candidate for a farmer-director seat on its board - but he may still get in through the back door.
John Monaghan had put himself forward for election as a farmer director in the upcoming Alliance elections, where two seats are up for grabs.
But the company rejected his nomination, saying his shareholding in the dairy cooperative was too small for him to be eligible.
An Alliance shareholder has now submitted a shareholders' resolution asking for Mr Monaghan to be appointed as an independent director to Alliance's board.
Farmer Mark Patterson says he was disappointed that Mr Monaghan was ruled out and thinks Alliance would be foolish not to benefit from his experience.
He says Mr Monaghan will bring to the industry just the kind of fresh thinking it needs.
Mr Patterson says the resolution will be non-binding - but he hopes the Alliance board will see the light.
Alliance's AGM is scheduled for 13 December in Dannevirke.
