Sharemilkers around the country will have the chance this week to hear how Fonterra’s capital restructure will affect them.

Federated Farmers is running a series of public meetings focusing on issues directly impacting sharemilkers, such as shares no longer being tied to production and the availability of dry shares.

Feds Sharemilkers’ chair Ciaran Tully says the meetings aren’t to tell farmers what to do, but give them the details they need to make their own call.

“What we are saying is people should, individually look at their own situation, on their own farm, and make the decision.

"It’s not Feds job to say you should do this or that, but we’re making people aware of the choice they have coming up with Trading Among Farmers on the horizon."

Ciaran Tully says the meetings are being held now as many farmers will be looking to hire sharemilkers in the new year.

"We decided, everybody’s busy before Christmas, but there’s a number of farmers looking to sign sharemilkers up for the new season now.

"We thought it was best to give them the information as early as we knew it ourselves to make those decisions round the Christmas tree, before next year.”

Meeting dates and venues (open to the public):