increase font size
From left: Tim Mackle, Mark Mitchell MP, Richard Luxton, Greg O'Connor MP, and Quinn Morgan at the rugby match.
Dairy farmers and sector leaders tested their mettle against MPs and parliamentary staff in a light-hearted yet highly competitive rugby and netball match last month.
The John Luxton Memorial Match at Campbell Park in Morrinsville was hosted by DairyNZ in honour of the industry good organisation's inaugural chair and former Agriculture Minister.
DairyNZ chief executive Tim Mackle says the match was a great way to honour Luxton's tremendous contribution to the sector and New Zealand.
"The day was a fantastic celebration of dairy farming and our rural communities and helped foster strong relationships between the dairy sector and parliamentary teams."
The hard-fought rugby game was a draw at full time and the netball was a battle till the end with a 27 to 24 win for the parliamentary team. But everyone was a winner on the day in camaraderie and positivity.
Luxton's son Richard said his father would have loved the day. Richard played rugby, alongside Luxton's grandson's Kian and Jack. Luxton's granddaughter Ariana Mellor played in the dairy netball team.
Richard said it was humbling to see so many people coming together to honour his father. The day also raised money for the John Luxton Trust - designed to support young Māori from the local area into agricultural career.
Richard said his father was committed to helping young Māori progress in dairying.
Ministers and MPs displaying their sporting prowess in the rugby were: Defence Minister Peeni Henare, Michael Woodhouse, Greg O'Connor and Mark Mitchell. Ministers and MPs on the netball court were: Associate Agriculture Minister Meka Whaitiri, Barbara Kuriger, Louise Upston and Nicole McKee.
Farmers representing the sector included leading young Māori farmers Quinn Morgan, Tangaroa Walker and Ben Purua. Dairy Environment Leaders chair Melissa Slattery, Climate Change Ambassadors chair Fraser McGougan and radio personality Rowena Duncum stepped up for the sector. Federated Farmers president Andrew Hoggard and Mackle also donned rugby jerseys for the farmers' team.
The first major update to the Dairy Cattle Code of Welfare in more than a decade has been released, marking what DairyNZ describes as an important step in ensuring animal welfare standards continue to evolve alongside scientific evidence and on-farm realities.
DairyNZ deputy chair Cameron Henderson has been re-appointed unopposed for another term.
OPINION: The stats speak for themselves.
Farms across the upper North Island are trialling different pasture mixes as part of a research programme that aims to build greater resilience into farming systems.
The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (the College) and Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network are calling for investment in a proposed new training pathway for rural GPs, warning that many rural practices are struggling to recruit while a large share of the existing workforce nears retirement.
Federated Farmers has called on Central Otago District Council (CODC) to drop or vote down a plan to truck sludge from Alexandra and Cromwell to farmland near Lauder, warning it would compound an "outrageous" situation created by a separate council's decision weeks earlier.
Synlait has swung to second-half profit as operations stabilise, but the dairy processor still posted a $75.4m annual loss.
LIC shareholders have elected a new North Island representative to the co-operative's Board, along with five representatives to its Shareholder Reference Group (SRG), following the company's Annual Meeting held in Invercargill.
Farmers across parts of Southland and South Otago are continuing to deal with difficult conditions after a prolonged run of wet weather, with pressure building around feed supply, stock management, pasture damage, farm infrastructure and everyday workloads.
Federated Farmers says it welcomes Labour's commitment to reviewing the Sharemilking Agreements Act, calling on other major parties to do the same.
OPINION: It seems Canterbury processor Synlait is still in the doldrums.
OPINION: Get offside with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters at your own peril.
