Dairy industry awards regional finals underway
Manawatu became the first region to announce its finalists for the 2024 Dairy Industry Awards.
The New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards has appointed Robin Congdon general manager, succeeding Chris Keeping who served 18 years in the role.
Awards board chair Rachel Baker says the 2019 National Awards evening in Wellington last month was a fitting event to farewell Keeping.
“It was special having every executive chairman she had worked with present on the night, and many previous winners and volunteers, to acknowledge her care and contribution over the past 18 years,” Baker says.
“We look forward to seeing where Robin will take the role and our organisation into the future.”
Congdon is a marketing and events specialist with business management experience. Most recently he was the national events manager for Massey University, managing the NZ Food Awards.
Congdon is looking forward to the general manager role and believes his background in business, event programmes and communication and information technology will allow him to see new opportunities and efficiencies.
“The NZDIA programme has been built from virtually nothing to a substantial national awards programme over the last 18 years,” he said.
“It is important the NZDIA stays relevant and delivers value to the entrants, sponsors and the trust. I am also proud to be part of New Zealand primary industry, dairy.”
The awards provide a learning and growth platform for young and emerging farmers as they progress in their careers.
The national sponsors are Westpac, DeLaval, Ecolab, Federated Farmers, Fonterra, Honda, LIC, Meridian Energy, Ravensdown, DairyNZ and PrimaryITO.
A vet is calling for all animals to be vaccinated against a new strain of leptospirosis (lepto) discovered on New Zealand dairy farms in recent years.
Two major red meat sector projects are getting up to a combined $1.7 million in funding from the New Zealand Meat Board (NZMB).
Angus Barr and Tara Dwyer of The Wandle, Lone Star Farms in Strath Taieri have been named the Regional Supreme Winners at the Otago Ballance Farm Environment Awards in Dunedin.
OPINION: The distress that the politicians and bureaucrats are causing to the people of Wairoa and the wider Tairāwhiti is unforgivable.
Dairy
Rural banker Rabobank is partnering with Food Rescue Kitchen on a new TV series which airs this weekend that aims to shine a light on the real and growing issues of food waste, food poverty and social isolation in New Zealand.