Editorial: Fewer herds, more milk
OPINION: The latest New Zealand Dairy Statistics report paints a picture of an industry trending towards fewer but larger herds.
North Otago farmer Matt Ross has been elected to the LIC board for a four-year term.
Ross will replace retiring long-standing director Alvin Reid on June 1. He was one of two directors recently elected; the chairman, Nelson farmer Murray King, was re-elected.
Ross and his wife Julie farm 580ha, milking 1800 cows in the Waitaki Valley inland from Oamaru. The couple won the NZ Sharemilker of the Year title in 2007.
Ross started with LIC in 1995 as an AB technician. He has a B.App.Sc. (Ag) degree from Massey University.
He has been a director of Irrigation NZ and chair of the Maerewenua District Water Resource Co. He is a member of the Dairy Environmental Leaders Forum and a graduate of the Fonterra governance development programme.
King, who will continue as chair, says the election result provides a balance of freshness and continuity for the board.
“Matt’s appointment is an acknowledgement of his professional and farming expertise. I am honoured to be re-elected and to finish the work we have started at LIC.
“Over a year ago we set out to create a more sustainable future for LIC and we are now in the middle of implementing significant changes to achieve this.
“Ultimately everything we do at LIC is for our NZ farmers and that will continue.”
King thanked Reid for his contribution to LIC and to the dairy industry.
“Alvin has been a hard working and dedicated director always acting in the best interests of dairy farmers. He has not been afraid to challenge boundaries and has been instrumental in many technology advancements we now take for granted.”
The LIC board has seven farmer-elected directors and three appointed independent directors.
New Zealand Food Safety (NZFS) is sharing simple food safety tips for Kiwis to follow over the summer.
Beef produced from cattle from New Zealand's dairy sector could provide reductions in greenhouse gas emissions of up to 48, compared to the average for beef cattle, a new study by AgResearch has found.
The Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey found farmers' expectations for their own business operations had also improved, with the net reading on this measure lifting to +37% from +19% previously.
Confidence is flowing back into the farming sector on the back of higher dairy and meat prices, easing interest rates and a more farmer-friendly regulatory environment.
Ham has edged out lamb to become Kiwis’ top choice for their Christmas tables this year.
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