Tuesday, 14 January 2025 10:37

New CEO for meat board

Written by  Staff Reporters
Nick Beeby. Nick Beeby.

Nick Beeby has been appointed as the new chief executive of the New Zealand Meat Board (NZMB).

In 2021, Beeby was made NZMB’s general manager of quota and information and has been acting chief executive since July 2024, when Sam McIvor departed the role.

Beeby resigned as general manager for market development at Beef + Lamb New Zealand in December 2024.

He is currently chair of New Zealand Farm Assurance Incorporated (NZFAI), which oversees the New Zealand Farm Assurance Programme.

The NZMB is responsible for achieving the best possible ongoing returns from sheepmeat and beef exports to international quota markets.

It currently oversees $2.6 billion of red meat exports to the quota markets of the European, United Kingdom, and United States, representing tariff savings of $934 million a year for the sector.

The board also administers farmer reserves, currently standing at $79m, held as a contingency fund to help New Zealand re-enter export markets in the event of a biosecurity incursion or disruption in quota markets.

It allocates interest and dividends, after reserve expenses from this fund, in consultation with farmers, for industry good projects such as the Eliminating Facial Eczema Impacts (EFEI) programme.

Kate Acland, chair of the NZMB, says the board is “pleased” to appoint Beeby to the role.

“He is highly experienced and respected in the red meat sector and already has significant knowledge about the NZMB and its work in our global markets,” Acland says.

Beeby says the board continues to play a key role in helping the industry navigate uncertainty and volatility.

“Global trading conditions remain challenging, but our sector’s resilience is strengthened by the critical role our quota system plays in securing tariff-free access to key markets like the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States,” he says.

“In these challenging times, the Board’s role in supporting preferential access into quota markets, managing contingency reserves and supporting industry innovation through funding critical research is more important than ever.”

More like this

Farmers back Government pause on RMA plan changes

There's been widespread support from the primary sector for the Government's move to put the brakes on local authorities to do any more work on planning changes ahead of major changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA).

Featured

Winston Peters questions Fonterra divestment plan

Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has joined the debate around the proposed sale of Fonterra’s consumer and related businesses, demanding answers from the co-operative around its milk supply deal with the buyer, Lactalis.

Cyclone Gabrielle lessons from Young Grower of the Year

If there was a silver lining in the tragedy that was Cyclone Gabrielle, for New Zealand Young Grower of the Year, Grace Fulford, it was the tremendous sense of community and seeing first-hand what good leadership looks like.

National

Machinery & Products

Disc mower range gets upgrade

Kuhn has announced an expansion of its range of disc mowers, distributed by Norwood in New Zealand, with the addition…

Tech might take time

Agritech Unleashed – a one-day event held recently at Mystery Creek, near Hamilton – focused on technology as an ‘enabler’…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Quid prod quo?

OPINION: Ageing lefty Chris Trotter reckons that the decision to delay recognition of Palestinian statehood is more than just a fit…

Deadwood

OPINION: A mate of yours truly recently met someone at a BBQ who works at a big consulting firm who spent…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter