Wednesday, 21 October 2015 12:17

Keeping the gumboots on

Written by  Sudesh Kissun
Outgoing DairyNZ chair John Luxton (left) with the newly elected board members Ben Allomes (returned) Elaine Cook (new) and Michael Spaans (returned). Outgoing DairyNZ chair John Luxton (left) with the newly elected board members Ben Allomes (returned) Elaine Cook (new) and Michael Spaans (returned).

Former DairyNZ chairman John Luxton is not hanging up his gumboots yet.

The former agriculture minister stepped down last week as DairyNZ chairman after an eight-year stint. But he is retaining his other connections with the sector, remaining a director of the Waikato independent milk processor Tatua.

He is also co-chairman of the Waikato River Authority, and chairs the Porirua Farm Ltd partnerships that manage eight farms. He owns a home farm where his son is sharemilking.

Luxton told Rural News it is good to retire from DairyNZ on his own terms. "It's a four-year term and it's time for younger ones to come through."

Luxton says he is leaving "a really good team of directors" to run the industry-good organisation.

About 100 farmers attended the annual meeting, a near-record turnout.

Primary Industry Minister Nathan Guy at the meeting thanked Luxton for uniting the industry. "It hasn't been an easy job at times, to make farmers realise they have to make changes to farming practices."

He says under Luxton's leadership DairyNZ has taken a lead role in improving the industry's environmental credentials.

Luxton served as a National MP for 15 years, including nine years as a cabinet minister and a stint as minister of agriculture.

Guy says the relationship between DairyNZ and the Government has been great under Luxton's leadership.

DairyNZ chief executive Tim Mackle described Luxton as a rock for the organisation. "We look forward to keeping engaged with you since you're not hanging up your boots yet," he says.

The DairyNZ board will meet early next month to appoint a new chairman. Former Fonterra director Jim van der Poel is the frontrunner. Until the new chairman is appointed, former Fonterra executive Barry Harris will be chair.

Meanwhile Waikato farmer Elaine Cook has been elected to the DairyNZ board, replacing Luxton.

Two sitting board members, Ben Allomes and Michael Spaans, were re-elected for another term.

Cook has served as an associate director of DairyNZ; she was the 2006 NZ Sharemilker of the Year and was a finalist in the NZ Dairy Woman of the year award this year.

More like this

Strong uptake of good wintering practices

DairyNZ has seen a significant increase in the number of farmers improving their wintering practices, which results in a higher standard of animal care and environmental protection.

Better animal genetic gain system

A governance group has been formed, following extensive sector consultation, to implement the recommendations from the Industry Working Group's (IWG) final report and is said to be forming a 'road map' for improving New Zealand's animal genetic gain system.

OSPRI's costly software upgrade

Animal disease management agency OSPRI has announced sweeping governance changes as it seeks to recover from the expensive failure of a major software project.

Musical chairs

OPINION: DairyNZ's director elections has seen scientist Jacqueline Rowarth re-elected for another three-year term.

Featured

Massey Research Field Day attracts huge interest

More than 200 people turned out on Thursday, November 21 to see what progress has been made on one of NZ's biggest and most comprehensive agriculture research programmes on regenerative agriculture.

Expo set to wow again

Stellar speakers, top-notch trade sites, innovation, technology and connections are all on offer at the 2025 East Coast Farming Expo being once again hosted in Wairoa in February.

A year of global challenges

As a guest of the Italian Trade Association, Rural News Group Machinery Editor Mark Daniel took the opportunity to make an early November dash to Bologna to the 46th EIMA exhibition.

National

Winter grazing warning

Every time people from overseas see photographs of cows up to their hocks in mud it's bad for New Zealand.

ANZ defends farm lending rates

The country's largest lender to the agriculture sector says it's not favouring home loans over farm and business lending.

Machinery & Products

Expo set to wow again

Stellar speakers, top-notch trade sites, innovation, technology and connections are all on offer at the 2025 East Coast Farming Expo…

A year of global challenges

As a guest of the Italian Trade Association, Rural News Group Machinery Editor Mark Daniel took the opportunity to make…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Review SOEs!

OPINION: NIWA has long weathered complaints about alleged stifling of competition in forecasting, and more recently, claims of lack of…

Bank reset

OPINION: Adding to calls to get banks to 'back off', NZ Agri Brokers director Andrew Laming has revealed that the…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter