FrieslandCampina Members’ Council Approves Member Recruitment Policy

FrieslandCampina’s Board wants a robust recruitment policy, sustainable over a number of years in changing market conditions. For this reason, it has been decided to finalise the recruitment policy in the middle of next year; the current situation in the dairy market is exceptional.

19/06/09 The Members’ Council of FrieslandCampina yesterday approved the basic principles of the cooperative’s member recruitment policy. For the time being, new member dairy farming businesses may be recruited from the pool of the successors of member dairy farmers, parties acquiring member businesses (or businesses with membership status) and new businesses in Zuivelcoöperatie FrieslandCampina U.A.’s area of operation. These account for the majority of membership applications. FrieslandCampina will finalise the recruitment policy in mid-2010.

By that time, FrieslandCampina expects to have a better understanding of the practical application of the departure scheme for member dairy farmers. This is one of the conditions set by the European Commission in December 2008 for the merger of Friesland Foods and Campina. The departure scheme will be up and running on 1 July of this year.

The basic principles of the member recruitment policy apply across the cooperative, but there may be small differences in policy implementation for the individual countries where the cooperative has operations (the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium), depending on the specific conditions.

FrieslandCampina’s Board wants a robust recruitment policy, sustainable over a number of years in changing market conditions. For this reason, it has been decided to finalise the recruitment policy in the middle of next year; the current situation in the dairy market is exceptional.

FrieslandCampina is opting for a long-term relationship with its members. This is also a primary focus of the recruitment policy.

The Members’ Council has also appointed an appeals committee to deal with any membership issues. This committee can confirm or reject Board resolutions open to appeal.

The Members’ Council has also approved the appointment of KPMG as global auditor with effect from 2009 to audit the annual financial statements of Royal FrieslandCampina N.V. and the annual financial statements of Zuivelcoöperatie FrieslandCampina U.A.

The Members’ Council of Zuivelcoöperatie FrieslandCampina U.A. has 210 members. They represent the 21 districts of the dairy cooperative (ten Members’ Council members for each district). The member dairy farmers in a district elect the Members’ Council members for their district.