I believe Steve O is exactly right. The farmers must have a stake in the business outside their farm gate to maximise farm returns via tapping into the value add or branded returns. I disagree that a/or the Cooperative is the only way to achieve this. However, there is a lot MG could do to modify its structure, ie reducing the risk of share redemption & securing more equity from farmers - also tweeking governance in order to move faster when opportunity or problems arise. Basically making the company more nimble and able to adapt. Reading onto the cooperative model it does give the farmer more confidence that the company is going to pay or be around tomorrow unlike UDP where a large number of suppliers wonder if they will get all their pay at times, or the many little companies that only pay what they need to siphon the cream or the ex-farm gate return for thier own benefit. WCB has the ultimate dilemma with farmers as a group owning 40% of the business but as individuals are only contract milk suppliers to that business, powerless to secure a future for it or themselves. So let's see if farmers in general wake up, seek control of their future. Not all want to be MG suppliers.