Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year finalists announced

The award is designed to recognise an outstanding woman who has contributed to the dairy sector with passion, drive, innovation, and leadership.

Dairy Women’s Network (DWN) trustee Donna Smit says each woman brings “incredible passion, knowledge, leadership and mana to the sector”.

The recipient of the award will receive a scholarship of up to $20,000 for an approved and personally chosen professional development programme, or professional/ business coaching or learning experience.

The award will be presented later this year at the Gala dinner of the DWN 2023 Conference, which is themed “Brighter, Braver, Bolder”.

Donna Cram

Donna Cram was elected to the Taranaki Regional Council in last year’s local body election, running on a platform of sustainability and proven leadership.

She and husband Philip have farmed at their Awatuna farm, Wylam Dene, for close to 23 years, milking 280 cows.

In 2016, the pair won the Fonterra Environmental Leadership in Dairy Farming award at the Taranaki Regional Council Awards.

In 2021, Cram graduated from the Agri-Women’s Development Trust (AWDT) Escalator programme. The programme is designed to give women the mindsets, skills and connections to create systemic change in agriculture and rural communities.

That same year, her farm was among the finalists for the Fonterra Responsible Dairy Award.

Cram is chair of Taranaki Catchment Communities which seeks to “lead, engage, and mobilise the Taranaki rural sector the region’s rural sector to ensure a more environmental, economic, and socially sustainable future".

She is also a DairyNZ Dairy Environment Leader (DEL), a member of the Taranaki Federated Farmers Dairy committee, and trustee for Dairy Trust Taranaki.

Cram is a lifelong learner, with a passion for connecting people, bringing new people to the industry, a focus on the environment and how the industry can continue to produce good food in a sustainable way.

Kimberly Crewther

Kimberly Crewther is the award's first-ever off-farm finalist.

She is perhaps best known for her work as executive director of the Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand (DCANZ).

In that role, Crewther has advocated for the industry around issues relating to the Government’s emissions pricing framework, and the two recent free trade agreements (FTAs) with both the United Kingdom and the European Union.

Kimberly Crewther

When the former was first introduced, Crewther said it would be counterproductive, claiming the emissions proposal held a significant risk of leakage.

Prior to that, Crewther spent just over a year working for DairyNZ as its general manager – policy & advocacy.

She held multiple roles within Fonterra and was a trade policy analyst for Meat New Zealand.

Currently, she chairs the member reference and funders groups for the Biodiversity Business Pledge, a partnership that aims to help Kiwi businesses take a proactive approach to their biodiversity practices.

Crewther is also a board member on the New Zealand International Business Forum, and represents dairy companies in the Government and Industry Agreement for Biosecurity Readiness and Response, and is a member of the New Zealand National Committee for the International Dairy Federation.

Rebecca Miller

Rebecca Miller has been dairy farming all her life.

Currently, she has an Equity and Share Farming business across two farms in Ashburton.

Two years ago, in 2021, Miller won the Emerging Leader award for Canterbury at the Champion Canterbury Awards.

That same year, she and partner Brent were nominated for the Employee Development category at the Ministry for Primary Industries’ (MPI’s) Good Employer Awards.

Rebecca Miller

This marks the second time Miller has been a finalist for the Dairy Woman of the Year award. She was named a finalist for the award in 2021 but lost out to Whanganui sharemilker Belinda Price.

At the time, DWN trustee and awards judge Sophie Stanley said “positivity, enthusiasm and holistic approach to farming and family life shine through her nomination”.

She is part of the Farming Families Charitable Trust events team and the AWDT mentoring programme.

Last year, she and her partner trademarked the word ‘Farmily’ to describe the interpersonal relational connection developed on farm, as a living philosophy of kindness, maturity, and responsiveness.

Sheena Penwarden

Sheena Penwarden is assistant manager Whananaki Farms and the operations manager for Te runanga o te rarawa.

She is also the freshwater environmentalist representative for the 23 Marae of te rarawa.

In 2020, Penwarden was named Northland Dairy Manager of the Year.

“Sheena is driven by Maori values, passionate about educating her community on dairy and the environment,” says DWN trustee Donna Smit.

Sheena Penwarden

She supports hapu by taking their aspirations and helping to educate them with modern and western science to develop and understand the importance of improvement within their area.

Penwarden is also actively involved in the Breast Cancer Foundation NZ, volunteering for the organisation.