Ruralco CEO Wins Excellence in Business Leadership at ANZ Business of the Year Awards
Tony Aitken, chief executive of Ruralco, has been awarded the Excellence in Business Leadership Award at the ANZ Business of the Year Awards.
Ruralco CEO Tony Aitken presenting the $10,000 donation to Mid Canterbury Rural Support Trust representatives Frances Beeston and Duncan Barr after the first Ruralco Golf Classic in 2025.
Registrations are now open for the 2026 Ruralco Golf Classic, with all proceeds from the event set to support the Mid Canterbury Rural Support Trust.
This follows the success of the 2025 inaugural Golf Classic, which raised $10,000 for the local trust.
Ruralco says it is proud to continue its support of the organisation and the work it does to provide free, confidential support and wellbeing services to local farmers and rural families.
The annual event, which will be held on 6 March 2026 at Tinwald Golf Course, brings together farmers, rural businesses, suppliers and supporters from across Mid Canterbury for a day of golf, connection and fundraising, with all of the proceeds from player entries, on-course challenges and raffles going directly to the Mid Canterbury Rural Support Trust.
Tony Aitken, chief executive of Ruralco, says the event has quickly become an important fixture on the rural calendar, combining friendly competition with a meaningful cause.
“The Ruralco Golf Classic is about more than just a day on the course. It’s also an opportunity for our rural community to come together,” Aitken says.
“As a farmer-owned co-operative, supporting the people behind our farming businesses is important. We’re proud that every dollar raised stays local and helps make a real difference," he adds.
The event is open to teams of three to four players, with sponsorship opportunities also available for businesses.
Demand is expected to be high for this special event, and Ruralco says it encourages golfers and supporters to register early to secure their spot and to ensure they don’t miss out.
For registration details or sponsorship enquiries, visit www.ruralco.co.nz or contact the Ruralco team on 03 307 5100.
The Meat Industry Association of New Zealand (MIA) today announced that Chief Executive Officer Sirma Karapeeva has resigned from the role.
The winners of the 2026 Hawke’s Bay/Wairarapa Dairy Industry Awards were announced at the annual awards dinner held at Copthorne Solway Park in Masterton on Thursday evening.
Environment Southland is welcoming this week’s decision by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to approve the release of Blaptea elguetai, a leaf‑feeding beetle that will help control the highly invasive Chilean flame creeper.
This March, the potato industry is proudly celebrating International Women’s Day on 8 March alongside the International Year of the Woman Farmer, recognising the vital role women play across every part of the sector — from paddocks and packhouses to research, leadership, and innovation.
Fruit trader Seeka posted a record profit and returns to shareholders in 2025.
Recent weather events in the Bay of Plenty, Gisborne/Tairawhiti, and Canterbury have been declared a medium-scale adverse event.

OPINION: A mate of yours truly reckons rural Manawatu families are the latest to suffer under what he calls the…
OPINION: If old Winston Peters thinks building trade relations with new nations, such as India, isn't a necessary investment in…