Red meat rebound
The red meat sector is poised for a strong rebound this season, with export receipts forecast to top $10 billion and farm profitability to almost double.
Southland sheep and beef farmer Andrew Morrison is the new chairman of Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ).
Morrison takes the Chair after four years on the board representing the Southern South Island region. He was elected at B+LNZ annual meeting last week.
Along with his wife Lisa, Morrison farms a total of 1030ha of breeding and finishing units spread between Southland and Otago. He actively farms the couple’s 150ha home farm near Gore – although Lisa is in charge of the day-to-day management. The couple has two children Bryn (19) and Kelly (15).
Morrison says he feels privileged to take up the role of chairman at B+LNZ.
“I love the sector we operate in and it has treated us very well. It is not always easy, but it is a truly great values-based sector to be part of. These farming values flow into rural communities.
“I am a strong believer in the contribution healthy rural communities make to the wider economy. I see merit in supporting and enhancing the unbelievable potential we have in agriculture and in rural communities.”
Morrison takes up the reins after previous chairman James Parsons stepped down after four years at the helm.
Morrison will be leading B+LNZ as the levy-funded organisation implements a revised strategy. Released last year, this strategy puts more emphasis on enhancing farmers' environmental position, unlocking market potential and greater government and public insight engagement – while still supporting farming excellence.
Morrison also sits on the boards of Ballance Agri-Nutrients, Ovis Management Ltd, the New Zealand Meat Board and the Pastoral Greenhouse Gas Research Consortium.
Meat co-operative, Alliance has met with a group of farmer shareholders, who oppose the sale of a controlling stake in the co-op to Irish company Dawn Meats.
Rollovers of quad bikes or ATVs towing calf milk trailers have typically prompted a Safety Alert from Safer Farms, the industry-led organisation dedicated to fostering a safer farming culture across New Zealand.
The Government has announced it has invested $8 million in lower methane dairy genetics research.
A group of Kiwi farmers are urging Alliance farmer-shareholders to vote against a deal that would see the red meat co-operative sell approximately $270 million in shares to Ireland's Dawn Meats.
In a few hundred words it's impossible to adequately describe the outstanding contribution that James Brendan Bolger made to New Zealand since he first entered politics in 1972.
Dawn Meats is set to increase its proposed investment in Alliance Group by up to $25 million following stronger than forecast year-end results by Alliance.
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