Westpac NZ Becomes First Bank to Accept Zespri Shares as Lending Security
Westpac NZ has become the first New Zealand bank to receive approval from the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) to secure and leverage kiwifruit growers' Zespri shares.
Nikki Johnson will move from the citrus industry to kiwifruit when she takes over as chief executive New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc (NZKGI) in April.
She succeeds Mike Chapman, who stepped down to take on the role of Horticulture NZ chief executive.
Johnson has managed the NZ Citrus Growers Inc for more than 10 years transitioning the industry from a voluntary grower organisation to a professional organisation with sustainable, compulsory levy funding and a strategic approach to investment of grower funds.
Johnson is also a founding director of Market Access Solutionz, a specialist biosecurity, regulatory systems, market access, international trade issues management and strategic industry management advisory company which has been operating for over 13 years.
Paynes Titus Excelsior ET, an LIC bull bred by Brad Payne and Claire Brodie in the Waikato, has won the JT Thwaites Sire of the Season 2026 Award.
South Canterbury farmer Colin Hurst has been elected as the new president of Federated Farmers.
Dairy continues to be the mainstay of the country's primary export earnings.
China remains New Zealand’s biggest market, taking $23 billion of our exports, but it’s no longer a commodity story, says Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.
For Jane Smith, becoming a Ravensdown director has been a way she can actively contribute to something quite personal to her - protecting and strengthening a co-operative she deeply believes in.
Lactalis New Zealand has opened a new distribution centre in Christchurch, marking a significant investment in the company's South Island supply chain capability.

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