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2025 Primary Industries Emerging Leader Award winner Bridie Virbickas.
There are opportunities outside the farmgate for young farmers to further develop their skills, says 2025 Primary Industries Emerging Leader Award winner Bridie Virbickas.
Contract milking 800 cows at Otakiri, near Whakatane, Virbickas is making a strong mark beyond the farmgate.
She joined Federated Farmers four years ago and chairs its Bay of Plenty sharefarmers section.
In the role, she supports fellow farmers through advocacy, dispute resolution, and practical workshops.
She's also a founding trustee of AgRecovery, helping reduce farm waste nationwide, and leads on-farm restoration projects with schools and councils - demonstrating her commitment to both sustainability and community.
Two years ago, she also served as DairyNZ associate director for 12 months and has completed the Fonterra Governance Development programme.
Virbickas told Rural News that she has been lucky to have worked with great people at Feds and on the DairyNZ board.
"It has been a great learning experience," she says.
Virbickas adds that farming in rural areas can be a challenge.
"It can get isolated so doing voluntary work outside the farmgate and developing your skills through programs can be a big help."
She says winning the award was "totally unexpected".
"It's great to be recognised by my peers: I'm humbled that they considered me worthy of the award."
Other Awards
The Rural Hero Award was awarded this year to former Federated Farmers national board member Chris Allen, who died in an accident on his Ashburton farm late last year.
It's been said that every New Zealand farming family is in his debt for his years of championing rural causes.
The judges acknowledged Allen's "collaborative nature, persistence and practicality", which meant as a Federated Farmers leader his advocacy on freshwater environmental and biodiversity issues was compelling and effeective.
"A top farmer in his own right, he led with humour and knowledge."
Southland farmer and NZ Pork chair Eric Roy was presented with the Outstanding Contribution to Primary Industries Award.
Roy's production, leadership, advocacy and political service to primary industries and rural communities in New Zealand and the wider Pacific spans nearly 60 years.
His work for Young Farmers culminated in his election as world president, and the six-term Member of Parliament has also excelled in roles with Federated Farmers, Pāmu, the Meat & Wool Board and a host of community and charity initiatives.
"Few can match his contribution. Eric Roy is a truly exceptional New Zealander," the judging panel said.
Federated Farmers has called on Central Otago District Council (CODC) to drop or vote down a plan to truck sludge from Alexandra and Cromwell to farmland near Lauder, warning it would compound an "outrageous" situation created by a separate council's decision weeks earlier.
Federated Farmers says new legislation replacing the Resource Management Act will cut red tape, unlock investment and help grow New Zealand's export-led economy, after the Planning Bill and Natural Environment Bill passed their third reading in Parliament yesterday.
Leading figures from the major political parties will be questioned on their primary sector policies at the Rural Issues Debate at Mystery Creek Events Centre, Hamilton, on 30 September.
Will the good times last? That's one of the key issues to come out of the latest Federated Farmers confidence survey.
Mid Canterbury Federated Farmers arable chair, Bevan Lill, said Beef + Lamb NZ data indicated that for the last six years, the average arable return on investment was about 0.8% while inflation ran about 4% - so the average arable farm was going backwards at about 3% a year.
Pāmu has released its FY26 Integrated Annual Report, reporting a Net Operating Profit of $113 million, more than double the $49 million recorded in FY25.
Meat Industry Association data, released alongside the Red Meat Sector conference in Wellington, shows export value climbing across the US, China, UK and Canada.
Applications are set to open for the 2027 Zanda McDonald Award, a trans-Tasman award recognised for identifying and fast-tracking talented young leaders in agriculture and agribusiness.
The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (the College) and Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network are calling for investment in a proposed new training pathway for rural GPs, warning that many rural practices are struggling to recruit while a large share of the existing workforce nears retirement.
Federated Farmers has called on Central Otago District Council (CODC) to drop or vote down a plan to truck sludge from Alexandra and Cromwell to farmland near Lauder, warning it would compound an "outrageous" situation created by a separate council's decision weeks earlier.
Synlait has swung to second-half profit as operations stabilise, but the dairy processor still posted a $75.4m annual loss.
