The dirt on soil: Why healthy soil matters
OPINION: Every year, December 5 marks World Soil Day. This date wasn’t chosen at random, it’s the birthday of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, a passionate advocate for soil stewardship.
Canterbury dairy and arable farmer, Cameron Henderson has been appointed a director of Ballance.
Henderson currently sits on DairyNZ’s board as an associate director and is a Rural Leaders’ Kellogg Scholarship recipient and Nuffield Scholarship recipient.
Ballance Agri-Nutrients chair, Duncan Coull, says “We’re delighted to welcome Cameron on-board. His commitment to innovation and sustainability within New Zealand’s agricultural sector represents the sort of transformative thinking that will ensure our industry can continue to thrive for generations to come.
“That, coupled with his extensive experience both on-farm and at a governance level, will make him a real asset to our shareholders in this role,” says Coull.
Henderson says that building his family business has given him a strong understanding of the importance of focus on financial management, strategic investment, and risk.
“My past roles in supply chain strategy, IT and farm systems modelling, alongside my strengths as a critical thinker and strong team advocate, all add to the list of qualities I will bring to the board table.
“I am deeply passionate about New Zealand’s farming community – and firmly believe that robust advice, innovative solutions and strong advocacy all need renewed focus to help our industry navigate the regulatory minefield we’re currently facing in New Zealand. It’s that which has led me to various regional and national policy and governance roles, with a focus on finding a way forward for agriculture.
“I’m committed to always putting the needs of my fellow farmers front and centre, and look forward to this new opportunity to contribute to our co-operative, and the wider agricultural industry as a whole,” says Henderson.
Ballance’s Annual Shareholder meeting will be held virtually on Wednesday 29 September at 5pm.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says withdrawing from the Paris Agreement on climate change would be “a really dumb move”.
The University of Waikato has broken ground on its new medical school building.
Undoubtedly the doyen of rural culture, always with a wry smile, our favourite ginger ninja, Te Radar, in conjunction with his wife Ruth Spencer, has recently released an enchanting, yet educational read centred around rural New Zealand in one hundred objects.
Farmers are being urged to keep on top of measures to control Cysticerus ovis - or sheep measles - following a spike in infection rates.
For more than 50 years, Waireka Research Station at New Plymouth has been a hub for globally important trials of fungicides, insecticides and herbicides, carried out on 16ha of orderly flat plots hedged for protection against the strong winds that sweep in from New Zealand’s west coast.
There's a special sort of energy at the East Coast Farming Expo, especially when it comes to youth.

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