The farmer group pushing for meat industry reform says support for the campaign is growing.
The Meat Industry Excellence (MIE) group said this week's election results for the Silver Fern Farms meat co-operative is another sign of that.
A candidate endorsed by MIE, West Otago farmer Fiona Hancox, won a seat on the Silver Fern Board.
MIE chair, John McCarthy said in the past two years five of the six candidates supported by MIE have won seats on the boards of Silver Fern Farms and the other meat co-operative, the Alliance Group.
"Definitely the election of Fiona to the Silver Fern Farms board was a watershed really. I think if Fiona hadn't got on there would have been some doubts in the group as to whether we should carry on or not.
Mr McCarthy said he hoped the incumbent directors recognised shareholders wishes through the election of MIE-endorsed candidates and would act accordingly.
He said MIE will release the results of research into the state of the meat industry next month and make recommendations for reform.
"I think it's probably the first time since I've been farming that a document of this nature and depth has actually been widely available to the whole industry."
He said the document was compelling.
"[The document] it shows you the cost of the status quo, the cost of doing nothing and carrying on the way we are."
"Hopefully it will be an incentive for consensual and across-the-board change."
