Musical chairs
OPINION: DairyNZ's director elections has seen scientist Jacqueline Rowarth re-elected for another three-year term.
Dairy farming leader Richard McIntyre is contesting the 2024 DairyNZ director elections.
The Horowhenua farmer and Federated Farmers dairy section chair says he's passionate about farming and wants to contribute to the industry-good organisation.
"I can see the challenges we're facing, and I think I can make a real contribution at the board level," he told Rural News.
McIntyre is the second high profile candidate for the director elections. DairyNZ deputy chair Jacqueline Rowarth, who is retiring by rotation, is seeking re-election as a director.
McIntyre has been a dairy farmer for 24 years. Originally a townie, McIntyre started out as a farm assistant and working his way up to become a herd owning sharemilker. He also has a calf rearing business and a 180ha drystock farm.
McIntyre has been part of Federated Farmers for 11 years where he has chaired the sharemilker section and served as a vice chair of the dairy section before taking up the chairmanship in 2022.
McIntyre believes that the skills and networks built at Federated Farmers would be an asset for DairyNZ and makes a real difference for farming families.
"DairyNZ is a great organisation, and I'm a big supporter of the levy, but there is a real feeling out there now that things have gotten off track.
"Farmers are struggling with some major challenges right now with increased costs, reduced incomes, and squeezed profits.
"We're also struggling to fill gaps in our workforce, and there's a huge wave of environmental changes coming at us."
He says farmers are looking to DairyNZ for practical solutions to some of those challenges - improving productivity, reducing environmental footprint, and increasing profit.
Farmers also want to see DairyNZ focusing on their core roles of research, science, and extension to help address those challenges.
If successful, McIntyre says he won't be stepping down from his Federated Farmers role.
"I love my role at Federated Farmers and take the job incredibly seriously.
"My term as Federated Farmers dairy chair ends in June next year. I'd want to see my term to the end, finish what I've started, and then I'd reassess where things are at.
"Any potential conflicts would be carefully managed, but I don't see any major issues. At the end of the day, both organisations work for farmers."
He points out that DairyNZ farmer-elected directors sit on other boards like Ravensdown, Ballance Agri-Nutrient, and the Deer Industry Association.
"I don't see any reason why Federated Farmers should be treated any different," says McIntyre.
McIntyre's governance roles include being a current member of the Fish and Game Wellington council. He has served as chair of the NZ Dairy Industry Awards Trust and did an eight-month stint as associate director of DairyNZ.
OPINION: Finally there's clarity for farmers around freshwater management regulations.
Always be on the lookout for new job opportunities and get outside your comfort zone.
In a landmark move, the state-owned farmer Pāmu (Landcorp) is making four of its 44 dairy farms available for people wishing to take up various contracts including herd-owning, share milking, variable order share milking and contract milking.
Rural Contractors NZ have launched a campaign today against the risks of fatigue in their industry.
The popular Surfing for Farmers programme, which gives farmers a well-earned break from life on the farm, starts its eighth season from November 5.
Milk vat manufacturer DTS is selling its dairy automation business to MilktechNZ.
OPINION: The Reserve Bank’s rate cut is great news, albeit a bit late, but your old mate agrees with Act…
OPINION: While the Government’s Fast Track bill is copping it from all the usual suspects – opposition parties, greenies, unions…