Mark Hooper Joins NZPork Board as Independent Director
Rural leader Mark Hooper has been appointed as an independent director to the NZPork board, bringing extensive farming, governance and advocacy experience to the role.
New Zealand Pork chief executive Sam McIvor is stepping down after nearly six years in the role.
McIvor won't be totally lost to the pork industry. He is going to head up Wellington meat family Prestons. McIvor leaves NZPork in mid-March and a recruitment process for his replacement is underway.
NZP board chairman Ian Carter says McIvor has had "an action packed tenure during which we've endured a global economic crisis and domestically the industry has had some big issues to work through".
"Championing the industry's strong environmental standing, progressing the animal welfare changes and maintaining the industry's disease-free status have been significant pieces of work and Sam has shown strong leadership and the ability to work effectively with farmers through to politicians in this process".
McIvor is also credited for helping improve product quality and drive consumer demand for locally produced product.
"There is no doubt that consumers are much more aware now of the 700,000kgs of imported pork coming into the country each week and they're looking for NZ grown labelled products," says Carter.
Farmers have until the end of this week to help shape DairyNZ’s future focus.
Wayne McNee, chief executive of AgriZeroNZ, has resigned and will leave the organisation on 15 January 2027.
The New Zealand dairy sector set a record in the 2025/26 season, producing more than two billion kilograms of milksolids for the first time.
Milk powder prices are continuing their merry run, firming up a potential $10/kgMS farmgate price this season.
Teachers are welcoming the outgoing Government’s U-turn allowing agriculture and horticultural science to remain a standalone Year 11 subject.
Outgoing ACT MP and dairy farmer Mark Cameron says Saturday’s election result reflects voters deeply impacted by the cost of living.