increase font size
FEDERATED FARMERS' Dairy Industry Group has elected Feilding farmer Andrew Hoggard as its new chairman.
The Federation's dairy council also elected Waikato's Chris Lewis to be one of two vice-chairmen, joining Kevin Robinson who was reconfirmed in that role.
"I am stoked dairy farmers have placed their faith in me," says Andrew Hoggard, Federated Farmers new dairy chairperson.
"Willy (Leferink) has been a great leader and it is comforting to know he's just at the end of the telephone," he says.
"The challenges and arguments about dairy have grabbed the headlines but this has masked many of the good things dairy farmers are doing.
"When I first became a dairy chairperson in Manawatu-Rangitikei, non-compliance was running at 16% but today it's 3%."
"Federated Farmers worked closely with Horizons Regional Council and despite what may have blown up in the media from time to time, they have a good relationship now, he says.
"To me, building that relationship is a template for how we should roll in other regions. My philosophy as a farmer and a leader is to be proactive and not reactive.
"We've also got a bloody good environmental story to tell and I am so keen to get it told," Hoggard says.
Hoggard farms 560 cows near Feilding across 300ha and has two children aged five and three with his wife Audra. His farm is on the banks of the Oroua River and his family draws their drinking water from that river too.
Hoggard believes in precision agriculture and is applying technology to his farming operation. Thanks to a recent Vodafone upgrade in Kimbolton, he now enjoys cellular coverage across most of his farm.
OPINION: Entering Parliament back in 2023, I wanted to help put the fun back in farming. After six years of Labour, rural New Zealand was tired of the relentless waves of red tape and compliance, draining joy from people who just want to work the land.
Academic Dr Mike Joy and his employer, Victoria University of Wellington have apologised for his comments suggesting that dairy industry CEOs should be hanged for contributing towards nitrate poisoning of waterways.
A comment by outspoken academic Dr Mike Joy suggesting that dairy industry leaders should be hanged for nitrate contamination of drinking/groundwater has enraged farmers.
The Government has struck a deal with New Zealand's poultry industry, agreeing how they will jointly prepare for and respond to exotic poultry diseases, including any possible outbreak of high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI).
OPINION: Newsroom is running a series of articles looking into the influence of lobbying and has kicked it off with agriculture.
Phoebe Scherer, a technical manager from the Bay of Plenty, has won the 2025 Young Grower of the Year national title.
The Fencing Contractors Association of New Zealand (FCANZ) celebrated the best of the best at the 2025 Fencing Industry Awards, providing the opportunity to honour both rising talent and industry stalwarts.
Award-winning boutique cheese company, Cranky Goat Ltd has gone into voluntary liquidation.
As an independent review of the National Pest Management Plan for TB finds the goal of complete eradication by 2055 is still valide, feedback is being sought on how to finish the job.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand has launched an AI-powered digital assistant to help farmers using the B+LNZ Knowledge Hub to create tailored answers and resources for their farming businesses.
A tiny organism from the arid mountains of mainland Greece is facilitating a new way of growing healthier animals on farms across New Zealand.
OPINION: Westland Milk may have won the contract to supply butter to Costco NZ but Open Country Dairy is having…
OPINION: The Gene Technology Bill has divided the farming community with strong arguments on both the pros and cons of…
