Open Country opens butter plant
When American retail giant Cosco came to audit Open Country Dairy’s new butter plant at the Waharoa site and give the green light to supply their American stores, they allowed themselves a week for the exercise.
The new partnership will boost the network's ability to provide more opportunities for dairy farming women to improve their skills and leadership.
Ballance general manager agro-science and marketing, Liz Muller, says in farm ownership and partnerships, women are involved in many of the key business decisions.
"It is often women who take the lead role in areas such as farm finances, staff management, animal welfare, safety and on-farm compliance, yet they are under-represented on farmer cooperative boards of directors and industry agencies," says Muller.
"Ballance is taking an active role in helping dairying women develop their leadership skills by supporting organisations such as the Dairy Women's Network, which is focused on developing female leaders. We want to see more women in influential roles contributing to the success and direction of the industry."
Muller says learning how to manage within nutrient loss limits is one of the biggest issues facing dairy farmers, and women will have a leading role in managing the changes required as new regulations impact on how New Zealanders can farm.
Dairy Women's Network executive chair Michelle Wilson says Ballance also partnered with the network earlier this year as its first conference sponsor.
"Ballance shares many of the network's organisational values and feels as strongly we do about growing the leadership capabilities of dairying women for the benefit of the entire industry. We are very fortunate to have the continued support of one of New Zealand's leading agri-businesses for at least the next two years."
Wilson says the network is in good heart, and was recently awarded a $180,000 grant from the Ministry of Primary Industries' Sustainable Farming Fund.
"We are engaged in a major three-year project which will increase the leadership capabilities of dairy farming women, our membership continues to grow, and alongside the support of our new prime sponsor Ballance Agri-Nutrients, we continue to be supported by our prime funder DairyNZ and our prime regional sponsor RD1. We also have eight significant network sponsors, and Fonterra's on-going commitment to the Dairy Woman of the Year award."
The Dairy Women's Network was established in 1998. The network's purpose is to expand the potential of women in the business of dairying by providing leadership, inspiration, learning and connection. The network provides educational opportunities to its members through Dairy Days workshops, regional groups, conferences and other events.
In addition to its support of the Dairy Women's Network, Ballance is supporting future generations of female leaders in farming through scholarships to undertake tertiary studies in agriculture, and for women in agricultural and horticultural science leadership.
