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.
South Island rural service trader Ruralco says its chairman Alister Body has signalled his intention to step down from his role and pursue broader agribusiness interests.
Body chaired the Ruralco board for the past two years and served as a director since 2011.
Body has agreed to continue to support the business until June 30 when he will retire from the board.
The Ruralco board has appointed Jessie Chan-Dorman as chair-elect. She will be the first female chair of the board.
Ruralco says Body will aid in her succession.
The co-op says during his tenure Body initiated and led a full governance review leading to an overhaul of the board function, rebrand of the business, reorganisation of senior management and a return to profitability. He also chaired the joint venture with Ravensdown that saw the creation of the Ruralco brand.
“The Ruralco board acknowledges the significant contribution Alister has made over eight years of service and his infectious passion for Ruralco and the members it serves.”
DairyNZ Chair Tracy Brown has seen a lot of change since she first started out in the dairy sector, with around one-third of dairy farmers now women.
Castle Ridge Station has been named the Regional Supreme Winner at the Canterbury Ballance Farm Environment Awards.
The South Island Dairy Event has announced Jessica Findlay as the recipient of the BrightSIDE Scholarship Programme, recognising her commitment to furthering her education and future career in the New Zealand dairy industry.
New Zealand and Chile have signed a new arrangement designed to boost agricultural cooperation and drive sector success.
New DairyNZ research will help farmers mitigate the impacts of heat stress on herds in high-risk regions of the country.
Budou are being picked now in Bridge Pā, the most intense and exciting time of the year for the Greencollar team – and the harvest of the finest eating grapes is weeks earlier than expected.

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