Editorial: Common Sense Prevails
OPINION: The Government's decision to reinstate agriculture and horticultural science as a standalone subject from Year 11 is the right one.
Federated Farmers West Coast provincial president, Katie Milne, has been elected to the farmer lobby's board.
She becomes the second woman so elected following Jeanette Maxwell in 2011. Milne replaces David Rose, who has retired after serving for three years.
"I think Federated Farmers continues to set history given 29 percent of Federated Farmers Board is now female," says president Bruce Wills
"I guess we are well ahead of the 25 percent group launched recently to lift the number of woman serving on boards. It is important to stress our board members are elected on their merits as farm leaders so I am delighted to welcome Katie on-board.
"I'd like to pay a big tribute to David Rose who I have served with for the past three years.
"David has had a large media presence as our adverse events spokesperson. His commitment was such that he fronted media despite being badly affected by the 2010 spring storm himself."
Milne is a Rotomanu dairy farmer on the West Coast. With Ian Whitmore she farms on 125 hectares milking 200 Jersey cows.
Three men have been sentenced in District Courts after Ministry for Primary Industries prosecutions over animal welfare, food safety and cattle tracing offences.
Fonterra’s 2026 financial year was a year of delivery, with record volumes of milk collected, processed and shipped by the co-op.
OPINION: The Government's decision to reinstate agriculture and horticultural science as a standalone subject from Year 11 is the right one.
Dairy farmers, still holding onto their Fonterra shares despite switching milk supply elsewhere or exiting the industry, now face a stricter share sell-down requirement.
Hamilton-based agritech company Aimer Farming has completed a $3 million capital raise to support its next stage of growth, including a beef farming product due to launch in 2027.
When dairy manager Miriam Lauridsen learned the farm, she was joining held weekly health and safety meetings, she initially thought that was “a bit over the top”. Experiencing that culture changed her mind.

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