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Consultant Rachel Baker is from Hawkes Bay, mayor Tracey Collis is from Tararua district, and coach Loshni Manikam is from Southland.
The winner will be announced at a ceremony during Dairy Women’s Network’s (DWN) conference in Rotorua on March 22.
DWN chief executive Zelda de Villiers says the three finalists highlight the wide skills and expertise evident among women in the dairy industry.
“The role of women in this industry is unique and unparalleled, and we’re proud to recognise and celebrate their success,” says de Villiers.
“The skills and experience Rachel, Tracey and Loshni bring to the dairy industry range from local government and leadership development through to board and governance expertise.
“These women show unwavering commitment to progressing the dairy industry internationally, yet still retain their links and involvement at a grassroots level in their home regions and communities.”
Jo Finer, Fonterra’s general manager NZ industry affairs, says this is the eighth year of the co-op’s sponsorship.
“No other award in NZ recognises and encourages specifically the capability and success of women in the dairy industry,” she says.
The winner takes a scholarship of up to $20,000 for professional and/or business development.
Ashburton Trading Society director and Fonterra shareholders councillor Jessie Chan-Dorman won Dairy Woman of the Year last year.
The finalists
Rachel Baker
Rachel Baker farms in Central Hawke’s Bay with her husband and three children. During 20 years in dairying Baker has worked as a veterinarian and dairy consultant.
She and her husband won the Manawatu Sharemilker of the Year title in 2009, then went large-scale sharemilking before buying a dairy support unit in 2017. She is chair of the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards executive and a consultant for private dairy clients and Manawatu farm syndicate MyFarm.
She often guest-lectures on dairy production systems and sharemilking at Massey University. She is a Kellogg scholar, a Fonterra networker and has also been a Primary ITO tutor.
She is involved in her community and school, and coaches junior netball.
Baker sees her nomination as recognising the support and guidance of many people she’s worked with who have encouraged her involvement in the industry.
“It’s an opportunity to highlight that being involved and giving back to the industry is a fantastic way to meet new people and open doors to new experiences and possibilities,” she says.
Loshni Manikam
Loshni Manikam, from South Africa, now lives in Southland, milking 600 cows with her husband and three children. In 2007 they were named Southland Sharemilker of the Year, before progressing to their current equity partnership.
Manikam is interested in human behaviour and developing current and emerging leaders in the dairy industry, since she believes people are the most important part of the industry.
A former lawyer, Manikam switched from dairy farming to leadership coaching after receiving her coach certification in 2012.
She is the founding director of Iceberg Coaching and a strategic consultant for Framstrong, working to support the wellbeing of farming communities.
She is a trustee of the Southern Dairy Development Trust, a coach and facilitator of the Agri-Women’s Development Trust Escalator programme and a Federated Farmers Southland executive member.
Manikam says being nominated for Dairy Woman of the Year shows the value and success of ‘ordinary’ dairy farming women.
“It shows you can raise a family and still progress through the industry, reach the top and have a say at industry level.”
Tracey Collis
Tararua District mayor Tracey Collis milks 220 cows with her husband and four children in Eketahuna, Manawatu-Wanganui. They have judged several Sharemilker of the Year awards, having previously won the Manawatu/Rangitikei/Horowhenua region award in 2003.
Collis advocates the advancement of regional farming businesses and farmer wellbeing. She is a member of the Institute of Directors and her local Chamber of Commerce, and is a Fonterra networker and graduate of the Fonterra Governance and Agricultural Women’s Development Trust Escalator programmes.
She served a term as a councillor before being elected mayor of the Tararua district in 2016.
She has a passion for farming, business and the environment and is a resource management commissioner, a dairy environment leader and a member of Horizons dairy leaders group.
The nomination is an honour by her peers, she says. “It demonstrates to other dairy women how easily transferable our skills are and how much we contribute and offer to the industry, our communities and NZ.”
